ST GEORGE’S, Grenada, CMC – Opener Kyle Corbin and in-form Shamarh Brooks struck half-centuries to lead a measured Barbados Pride batting effort on the opening day of their fourth round game against Windward Islands Volcanoes here yesterday.
Opting to bat first at the National Stadium here, Pride finished the day on 233 for four with Corbin hitting a top score of 68 and Brooks getting 51.
Rookie Kemar Brathwaite fell just short of his maiden first class half-century for 46, left-hander Jonathan Carter made 30 while Roston Chase was unbeaten on 27 at the close.
Off-spinner Dalton Polius claimed two for 30 to be the best Volcanoes bowler on show.
Needing to redeem themselves after suffering their first loss of the Regional First Class Championship in the last round against reigning champions Guyana Jaguars, Pride got a great start from Corbin and Brathwaite who added 85 for the first wicket.
Corbin produced a patient innings, facing 197 balls in a shade under four hours at the crease and struck three fours while Brathwaite, in only his second first class game following his debut against Jaguars, counted three fours off 110 deliveries in 129 minutes. They took Pride to lunch at 73 without loss but afterward, the left-handed Brathwaite added just four to his 42 at the break before going bowled by off-spinner Shane Shillingford in the sixth over after resumption.
Corbin found an ally in Jonathan Carter and the pair added further 59 for the second wicket to keep their side in the control in the post-lunch session.
The 25-year-old Corbin raised his half-century, his 17th in first class cricket, on the stroke of the first hour after lunch and was unbeaten on 67 at the tea break with Pride on 141 for one.
Polius claimed Corbin in the second over on the resumption and in his next over, knocked over Carter who faced 99 balls and 114 deliveries, with two fours.
Stumbling at 148 for three, Pride were steadied by Brooks and Chase who added a confident 83 for the fourth wicket to deny Volcanoes.
The right-handed Brooks faced 100 balls in 97 minutes at the crease and struck two fours while Chase has so far consumed 93 deliveries in 97 minutes.
With the close beckoning, Volcanoes struck a key blow when captain and off-spinner Liam Sebastien removed Brooks.
Scoreboard
PRIDE 1st Innings
K Corbin c Matthew b Polius 68
K Brathwaite b Shillingford 46
J Carter c Shillingford b Polius 30
S Brooks c Fletcher b Sebastian 51
R Chase not out 27
M Cummins not out 1
Extras (b6, lb3, nb1) 10
TOTAL (4 wkts, 101 overs) 233
To bat: *K Stoute, +M Rampersaud, A Nurse, T Best, S Benn.
Fall of wickets: 1-85, 2-144, 3-148, 4-231.
Bowling: Mathew 10-6-15-0, Peters 9-1-34-0, Shillingford 27-5-61-1, Bobb 21-5-42-0, Sebastien 21-2-42-1, Polius 13-1-30-2.
VOLCANOES – *L Sebastien, T Theophile, +A Fletcher, M Bascombe, J Charles, S Ambris, S Shillingford, D Polius, A Bobb, M Matthew, K Peters.
Toss: Barbados Pride.
Umpires: Lennox Abraham, Peter Nero.
