Greeted with a grassy Kensington Oval pitch, rookie pacer Miguel Cummins again exposed Trinidad and Tobago’s batsmen’s vulnerability to fast bowling as Barbados took early control of the 2013 Regional 4-Day Championship cricket final yesterday.
Cummins bagged five for 30 in 12.4 overs to rout spineless Trinidad and Tobago, who were sent in, for a paltry 110, the total significantly boosted by a last-wicket stand of 40 between topscorer Rayad Emrit with 34 and Shannon Gabriel (seven not out).
At the close of the opening day’s play, Barbados, guided by successive half century partnerships, involving opener Kraigg Brathwaite and showing there were no demons in the pitch, were in total command on 144 for two, a lead of 34, and in a strong position to capture a 21st regional first-class title.
Brathwaite dropped anchor in a typically solid 49 not out while pushing his season’s aggregate to 504 runs while nightwatchman Javon Searles, lucky to be playing ahead of Test pacer Tino Best, was yet to score.
Brathwaite, who became the second batsman behind Devon Smith to pass the 500-run mark when he was on 45, shared an opening stand of 62 with the free-scoring Rashidi Boucher, who made a fluent 46, laced with eight fours and a six off 51 balls.
Captain Kirk Edwards, who added 79 runs for the second wicket with the resolute Brathwaite, fell just before the close. He was on 48, which contained five fours and a six off 85 balls, when he feathered a leg-cutter from medium-pacer Lendl Simmons to first slip.
Earlier, the tentative Trinidadian top-order batsmen lacked the necessary temperament and were tormented by the Barbadian bowlers as they were dismissed for their sixth successive score under 150 after falling for totals of 119, 84, 128, 109 and 129 in their previous five first-class innings against Barbados.
Recalled opener Adrian Barath was first to go for one, edging Cummins straight to Brathwaite at fourth slip.
Off the very next delivery, Yannic Cariah was belatedly given out by Jamaican umpire Patrick Gustard for a catch behind by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.
West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach (two for 35) struck with the first ball of the next over, inducing an edge from Simmons (5) to Dowrich to make it nine for three.
In the next over, an out of sorts Jason Mohammed was sent back for a “duck” after snicking a catch to Ashley Nurse at second slip.
The visitors’ position became even more disastrous at 18 for five when captain Denesh Ramdin tamely surrendered his wicket by deflecting an outswinger from Cummins to Jonathan Carter at third slip.
The two youngest members of the team, Akeal Hosein and Steven Katwaroo, then came together and showed more courage than their more senior teammates by adding 32 for the sixth wicket.
Katwaroo confidently drove Roach through mid-off for four while Hosein survived two sharp chances to Dowrich and Carter off the bowling of Searles but was caught behind for 17 in off-spinner Nurse’s only over.
Trinidad and Tobago went to lunch in strife at 64 for six and on resumption, Katwaroo didn’t add to his score of 24 when he was smartly stumped down the leg-side by Dowrich off left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.
Benn, who ended with two for 13, struck again when Imran Khan skied an ambitious heave to Carter at cover point to leave his team tottering on 69 for eight.
Roach made it 70 for nine when he had Marlon Richards caught by Benn at first slip for one but Emrit, who made 112 against Barbados in the 2006 final at Guaracara Park, found a useful partner in Gabriel to see Trinidad and Tobago past the 100-mark.
Emrit hit five fours in his 47-ball knock before becoming another slip victim to another outswinger from Cummins.
