KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Left-arm spinner Patrick Harty struck two late blows but they were not enough to prevent Barbados Pride from taking a stranglehold on their third round encounter at Sabina Park here yesterday.
With Test wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich (73) and Kyle Mayers (53) batting Pride into a dominant position courtesy of a 112-run, fifth wicket stand, Harty (2-25) removed both in the last half hour, as the visitors slipped to 179 for six at the close of Friday’s second day.
Heading into today’s penultimate day, Pride possess an overall lead of 260 runs, already leaving Scorpions needing a massive effort to save the contest.
Wicketkeeper Denis Smith had earlier top-scored with a crucial 35, a knock that helped the hosts rally from their overnight position of 53 for six to 138 all out in their first innings.
He got support from tail-ender Derval Green, who made 25, the pair posting 49 for the seventh wicket to keep Pride without immediate success inside the first hour.
Green eventually clipped fast bowler Keon Harding (2-29) to captain Kraigg Brathwaite at mid on but Smith shepherded the tail until he was last out, lbw to Harding.
He faced 96 balls and counted four boundaries.
Fast bowler Nicholson Gordon (3-27) then accounted for three of the first four wickets to cripple the top order as Pride slumped to 58 for four in their second innings.
Brathwaite’s (1) poor form continued when he was caught at cover by Rovman Powell driving loosely in the second over and Test batsman Shamarh Brooks followed for five at 16 for two, caught at mid-wicket pulling.
Left-hander Jonathan Carter spent 28 balls over his six before driving at one that left him from speedster Marquino Mindley and nicking a catch to wicketkeeper Smith.
And opener Shayne Moseley (19) put on 31 for the fourth wicket with Dowrich but once he injudiciously hooked Gordon to deep square, Pride were tottering.
Dowrich then arrived to stroke nine fours off 118 balls while Mayers gathered his second half-century of the match, counting five fours off 89 balls, as the pair dominated in a century stand.
With Pride marching strongly towards the close, Harty got Dowrich to top-edge a sweep to be caught at square leg before pinning Mayers lbw on the back foot in the day’s final over.
