KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Front-runners Windward Islands Volcanoes and traditional contenders Barbados Pride met resistance in their efforts for tournament-defining wins against Combined Campuses & Colleges Marooners and Jamaica Scorpions respectively, in the West Indies Championship on Friday in Jamaica.
Half-centuries from former Pride left-hander Jonathan Carter, and hopefuls Romario Greaves and Damel Evelyn anchored the Marooners to 271 for six in their second innings and a lead of 80 against the Volcanoes at the close on the third day of their third-round match at Chedwin Park.
A resolute half-century from Abhijai Mansingh defied a destructive spell from newly capped pacer Shaquille Cumberbatch and guided the Scorpions to 220 for eight in their second innings and a lead of 100 against the Pride at Sabina Park.
AT CHEDWIN PARK: Carter made 94, missing out on a second hundred for the season, Greaves was not out on 62, and Evelyn got 56, personifying the battle for survival and leading the resistance for the Marooners, after they required another 34 balls to dismiss Volcanoes for 395 to concede a 191-run, first innings lead.
West Indies Under-19 World Cup-winning pacer Ryan John set back the Marooners in his third over when he bowled opener Kirstan Kallicharan for a duck.
Marooners were 31 for three at lunch after Gilon Tyson removed discarded West Indies batsman Shamarh Brooks for 14, and Shamar Springer, another West Indies Under-19 World Cup-winning pacer, got Sadique Henry caught behind for two with the penultimate ball before the interval.
Carter joined Evelyn after lunch, and they spent almost the entire period adding substance to the innings, but two wickets in the span of seven balls in the final half-hour before tea rocked the Marooners.
They were 136 for five at the break after leg-spinner Darel Cyrus got Evelyn, whose near three-hour long knock included six fours and one six off 125 balls, and Springer trapped Demario Richards for a four-ball duck in the next over.
After tea, Carter continued merrily and put on 122 with Greaves to easily carry the Marooners past the 200 mark before he was lbw to Ambris, bowling his uncomplicated off-spin, in the final half-hour of play after spending nearly four hours at the crease and cracking eight fours from 173 balls.
AT SABINA PARK: Mansingh led the way with 54, Leroy Lugg scored 43, West Indies Test left-hander Kirk McKenzie made 39, and opener Carlos Brown got 35 to lead the resistance for the Scorpions.
Cumberbatch, playing in his maiden first-class match, ended the day with four for 22 from nine overs, and Kevin Wickham, bowling his uncomplicated leg-spin, finished with two for 20 from six overs to give Pride the edge.
Pacer Jair McAllister got Chadwick Walton, who spent several years playing club matches in Barbados, caught behind for four in the second over of the innings and was the only wicket that fell before lunch for the home team.
They were nine for one at the interval, but the rest of the Scorpions top order, except their captain and former West Indies Test vice-captain Jermaine Blackwood, put up a fight after lunch, highlighted by a stand of 61 between Brown and McKenzie for the second wicket.
Three wickets – all to Cumberbatch – including Blackwood bowled for a three-ball duck set back the Scorpions, and they were wobbling on 93 for four at tea.
A partnership of 72 either side of the break between Mansingh and Lugg for the fifth wicket revived the hosts, carrying them past 150.
Lugg and Mansingh were two of four wickets the Scorpions lost in the final session of the day, including three in the span of 32 balls in the final hour that eroded the hard work of the earlier batsmen and exposed them to the possibility of defeat.
Earlier, Pride continued from their overnight total of 314 for six, and they were bowled out about 15 minutes before lunch.
Pride and West Indies Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite added 13 to his overnight score before he fell in the first hour for the top score of 142 that included 15 fours from 314 balls in a little more than 7-1/2 hours at the crease.
Retired West Indies wicketkeeper-batsman Shane Dowrich supplied 44, and there was token resistance from Cumberbatch, Jomel Warrican, and McAllister before the innings ended.
Pacer Derval Green was the most successful Scorpions bowler taking four for 78 from 31 overs, and off-spinner Peat Salmon bagged three for 94 from 34 overs.
