B/dos on top despite Joseph’s half century

BASSETERRE, St Kitts,  CMC – Veteran batsman Sylvester Joseph stroked an aggressive half-century but Barbados stole honours on the rain-ruined opening day of the sixth round Regional Four-Day Championship match here  yesterday.
Opting to bat first at Warner Park, the Leeward Islands finished the day on 161 for six, with skipper Joseph striking an entertaining 64.
West Indies second string wicketkeeper Devon Thomas scored 34 while Tonito Willett was leading a fightback with an unbeaten 31.
Left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn (2-47) and off-spinner Ashley Nurse (2-71) picked up two wickets apiece to lead the Barbados attack.
Rain allowed just 45 overs and ended play prematurely, with several overs left in the day.
Scoreboard
LEEWARDS 1st Innings
K Powell ret. hurt                                                            10
L Richardson c Brathwaite b Best                               0
S Burton c Boucher b Cummins                                   6
*S Joseph st Dowrich b Benn                                      65
+D Thomas c Brathwaite b Nurse                              34
J Hamilton c Carter b Nurse                                         7
T Willett not out                                                               31
H Walsh c Boucher b Benn                                             2
J Athanaze not out                                                           1
Extras (w1, nb4)                                                               5
TOTAL (6 wkts, 45 overs)                                          161
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-8, 3-100, 4-116, 5-147, 6-149.
To bat: K Walters, A Martin.
Bowling: Best 7-2-23-1 (nb1), Cummins 6-1-20-1 (w1, nb1), Nurse 16-0-71-2 (nb2), Benn 16-5-47-2.
BARBADOS – *K Edwards, K Brathwaite, R Boucher, J Carter, S Hope, +S Dowrich, K Stoute, A Nurse, T Best, M Cummins, S Benn.
Toss: Leewards.
Umpires: J Wilson, M Mikul (Bangladesh)