Barbados earned a healthy first innings lead of 92 runs after bowling out Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) for 145 by tea on the second day of their WICB Regional Four-Day day/night match at Kensington Oval last night.
Resuming on nought for no wicket after dismissing Barbados for 237 on the opening day, the CCC succumbed to the pace combination of Tino Best and Kemar Roach.
Best, who made the initial breakthrough and then returned to wrap up the lower part of the innings, finished with the impressive figures of four for 33. Roach did the bulk of the damage in the middle order taking four for 49 while left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn gave excellent support with two for 16 from 13 overs of stingy left arm spin.
The CCC lost their captain Romel Currency in the first over of the second day, well caught by stand-in wicketkeeper Jonathan Carter as he pushed at a delivery from Best. Carter found himself performing the keeper’s role for the second consecutive match, on this occasion filling in for Jamal Smith, who suffered a fractured finger when he batted on the opening day.
Carter was again called into action on the stroke of lunch when he took a straightforward catch off Roach to send back Nkrumah Bonner after the batsman had laboured 68 minutes over 12 runs. Between these dismissals, Roach had opener Yannick Ottley superbly caught at third slip by substitute Sharmarh Brooks, diving low to his left as the batsman attempted to drive through the off side.
Roach also induced an edge from Kyle Corbin that went straight to Benn at first slip and then the West Indies fast bowler plucked out the off stump of Raymon Reier in spectacular fashion as the CCC slipped to 43 for four.
They went to lunch at 74 for five and on resumption Benn quickly removed Chadwick Walton, smartly caught by Ryan Hinds at gully and Jason Holder, taken at point as he attempted to hoist Benn over the in-field.
The progress of the Barbados team was stalled by player/coach Floyd Reifer and Kevin McClean. The left handed duo put on 45 for the eighth wicket in 52 minutes, a stand dominated by McClean, who stroked five boundaries in a fluent innings of 28 off 47 balls.
It was Best, who broke the partnership by having McClean caught at first slip by Benn off a lifting delivery. Ryan Austin then played on without scoring and Reifer was the last to go, brilliantly caught behind by Carter who swooped low to his left to pouch the catch as Reifer edged an attempted cut. Reifer top scored with 40 off 97 balls in 135 minutes. His innings was laced with five boundaries.
In the final session on the first day, the Barbados innings was boosted by a 54-run ninth wicket stand between Benn and Roach. The pair put on the highest partnership of the innings after Barbados lost Carter, Smith and Christopher Jordan in the post tea period.
The effort lifted the home side from 183 for eight, with Benn remaining unbeaten on 39 after pacer McClean picked up the wickets of Roach with consecutive balls to finish with the best figures of three for off 13.3 overs.
Benn struck a six and three fours in a disciplined innings that lasted 124 minutes during which time he faced 89 deliveries.
