NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – A century stand between Jahmar Hamilton and Sherwin Peters thwarted a rampant Barbados, as they hauled Leeward Islands back into contention on the opening day of their sixth round clash of the Regional First Class Championship yesterday.
Hamilton struck an attractive 83 while Peters carved out a responsible 57 to pull the hosts around from a shaky position of 17 for three and guide them to 277 all out at the Vivian Richards Stadium.
West Indies pacer Fidel Edwards, who finished with five for 57, triggered the early slide while seamer Kevin Stoute, who claimed four for 41, did the damage to the middle order.
Winning the toss and fielding, Barbados started brightly when Edwards trapped Shane Jeffers (2) lbw with the score on two and left-armer Pedro Collins sent back Gavin Williams, also lbw, for four with the score on eight.
Edwards then breached Kerry Mentore’s defence to bowl him for seven with the score on 18 for three, to leave Leewards in a spot of bother.
Hamilton and Peters, both 20-year-olds, then came together in 138-run, fourth wicket stand to deny Barbados any further immediate success.
The right-handed Hamilton hammered 14 fours in an innings lasting 124 balls and 189 minutes while Peters faced 154 balls and struck seven fours in a knock spanning 220 minutes.
When Stoute claimed Peters at 155 for three, the innings went into a tail-spin as six wickets tumbled for 40 runs to leave the Leewards 195 for nine.
However, Anthony Martin (42) and Kelbert Walters (28) combined in an 82-run last wicket partnership to frustrate the Barbadians again.
Martin, a West Indies A team leg-spinner, hit two fours in an innings requiring 66 balls and lasting 101 minutes while Walters stroked four fours in a knock coming off 76 balls.
