A CALAMITOUS late-evening implosion by Barbados’ top order batsmen transformed a promising position set up by the bowlers into one of dire concern on the first day of their Regional 4-Day championship match against the Windwards Islands at Kensington Oval yesterday.
The home team lost five first innings wickets for 33 runs off 16.2 overs in a frantic 75-minute period after the visitors, who won the toss, had been restricted to 184.
Spinners Ashley Nurse and Suleiman Benn each grabbed four wickets for 63 and 50 respectively as the Windwards, who occupied first place in the points standings at the start of the series, declined after a 51-run opening stand between Devon Smith and Tyrone Theophille.
Smith was the eventual topscorer in the innings with a stroke-filled 40 while Andre Fletcher made 38.
Contributions of 24 from Shane Shillingford, who made an overnight trip to Barbados after his impressive Man-Of-The-Match performance in the second Test for West Indies against Zimbabwe that concluded on Friday in Dominica, and 25 not out from Peters towards the end of the innings helped to bolster the Windwards after they had slipped to 105 for six in the middle session.
