KINGSTOWN, St. Vincent, CMC – Out-of-favour West Indies left-arm spinner, Jomel Warrican, struck twice in as many balls in the final session to hand Barbados Pride the advantage on the second day of their fourth-round Regional four-day contest against Windward Islands Volcanoes.
At the close at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex here yesterday, Volcanoes were battling on 151 for five in in their first innings, in reply to Pride’s 360 all out earlier in the day.
They were in good shape at one stage on 89 for two but Warrican knocked over Kavem Hodge for 38 and Barbadian Kirk Edwards without scoring in successive deliveries to hurt the innings.
However, Roland Cato came to his side’s aid with an unbeaten 47 and was partnered by Barbadian Kyle Mayers on 21 at stumps.
Volcanoes trail by 209 runs heading into today’s pivotal penultimate day.
Earlier, Pride were dismissed about 40 minutes after lunch after resuming on their overnight 273 for five. All-rounder Kevin Stoute, unbeaten on 59 overnight, top-scored with 84 while Justin Greaves, 14 not out at the start, carved out 54.
Tyrone Theophile picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to finish with five for 56 while fellow off-spinner Shane Shillingford supported with three for 102.
Stoute and Greaves batted through most of the morning session to stretch their sixth-wicket stand to 91 before being separated when Stoute fell lbw to Shillingford about 20 minutes before lunch.
He faced 211 balls and counted four boundaries.
On 346 for six at the break, the end came swiftly for Pride afterwards as their last four wickets tumbled for 14 runs with Theophile snapping up two more scalps.
Greaves, on 52 at lunch, was out in the second over following the resumption lbw to Shillingford after facing 142 deliveries and striking seven fours.
Pride then made early inroads into the Volcanoes batting to reduce them to 16 for two after just five overs.
Fast bowler Keon Harding had the tournament’s leading run-scorer, Devon Smith, caught at slip by Ashley Nurse without scoring in the fourth over before fellow seamer Greaves sent back Taryck Gabriel to a catch at the wicket for six in the next over.
Cato and Hodge then combined in a solid second wicket stand of 73 to steer Volcanoes to 60 for two at tea.
The 19-year-old Cato struck five fours in an innings so far lasting 120 deliveries while Hodge hit a four and a six in a 76-ball knock.
They were threatening to dominate the final session when Warrican intervened, bowling Hodge and then Edwards in successive deliveries, to leave Volcanoes on 89 for four.
When Theophile perished cheaply for 19 at 121 for five, the home side were tottering but Cato and Mayers saw them safely though the session in an unbroken sixth wicket stand of 30.
