Fluent half-centuries from Shamar Springer and Shane Dowrich were the rocks upon which Barbados Pride built a first innings lead of 152 against Leeward Islands Hurricanes in the West Indies Championship on Thursday.
Springer hit the top score of 91 and Dowrich supported with 86, and propelled Pride to 324, replying to Hurricanes’ first innings total of 172, on the second day of the first round match at Kensington Oval.
Springer, a member of the Windies Under-19 squad that won the ICC Men’s Under-19 Cricket World Cup six years ago in Bangladesh, and Dowrich, the out-of-favour Windies wicketkeeper-batsman, shared 175 for the sixth wicket after Pride stumbled to 124 for five.
They were, however, among the last five Pride wickets that fell for 25 in the span of 44 balls in the final half-hour of play.
West Indies Test off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall was the most successful Hurricanes bowler with 4-99 from 33 overs, left-arm pacer Colin Archibald was the pick of them taking 3-47 from 20 overs, and off-spinner Terrence Warde ended with 2-42 from 14.2 overs.
Earlier, Pride were 110 for three at lunch, after they resumed from their overnight total of 27 without loss.
Before the interval, Shayne Moseley was caught at second slip off Archibald for 13, edging a rising ball.
Pride captain Kraigg Brathwaite was caught behind off fast-medium pacer Devon Thomas for 29, playing an uncharacteristic slog.
And, Jonathan Carter caught at short extra cover off Cornwall for 25, getting a leading edge.
At tea, Pride were 204 for five with Dowrich and Springer knee deep in the salvage operation.
Pride had lost left-hander Raymon Reifer to the first ball after the interval when he caught behind off Archibald for 23, playing forward, a similar fate that befell Justin Greaves five overs later when he was caught at first slip off the same bowler for seven.
After tea, Springer and Dowrich changed gears and dominated the tiring Hurricanes attack.
But Springer was caught at mid-on off Cornwall, mistiming a flick after batting 3-1/2 hours and hitting seven fours and three sixes from 181 balls, and Dowrich fell in similar fashion after a 4 1/4 hour stay at the crease in which he struck nine fours from 154 balls.
In between, Keon Harding was caught at leg-slip off the next ball from Cornwall for a duck, playing forward before Jomel Warrican was bowled by Cornwall for two, playing forward.
Chemar Holder entertained the crowd with three successive sixes over long-on and mid-wicket off Cornwall before he was bowled slogging at Warde to bring the innings to a close.
Play continues on Friday from 10 a.m. and Hurricanes will start their second innings then.
Summarised scores:
Hurricanes 172 for nine declared (Devon Thomas 58, Kieran Powell 43, Jahmar Hamilton 29, Kacey Carty 20; Keon Harding 4-42, Jonathan Carter 2-9).
Pride 324 (Shamar Springer 91, Shane Dowrich 86, Kraigg Brathwaite 29, Jonathan Carter 25, Raymon Reifer 23, Chemar Holder 22, Shayne Moseley 13; Rahkeem Cornwall 4-99, Colin Archibald 3-47, Terrence Warde 2-42).
(AR)