KEVIN STOUTE stroked his second Division 1 hundred to lead ICBL Empire to a first innings lead over TeleBarbados Carlton.
The national all-rounder struck 14 threes and three fours in 103 from 122 balls in 3 1?2 hours of batting, as Empire, replying to Carlton’s first innings total of 235, reached 289 for seven at the close of the second day of their sixth-round LIME Division 1 match.
Left-handed opener Jason Haynes supported with 52, veteran Shawn Graham scored 38, captain Jamal Smith made 29, Jason Hinds, brother of national captain Ryan Hinds, got 24, and big-hitting Alcindo Holder 20.
Khalid Springer has been the most successful bowler for Carlton with two wickets for 43 runs from 13 overs.
Stoute was fortunate, when Kirk Gibson dropped him at backward point on 29 off Dawayne Sealy in the first hour after tea.
But the 24-year-old son of local entertainment legend Richard Stoute kept his composure, and batted resolutely to reach his milestone, when he ferociously pulled Springer through mid-wicket for his penultimate boundary.
“It was a situation where Empire needed me to bat and I had to show my maturity,” he said in an interview on CBC Radio.
“I had to put down my head and try to bat for as long as possible because we were struggling a bit at 98 for three. The manager and the coach came to me, and told me that they needed me to get a big score – and so I needed to apply myself.”
Stoute added 75 for the fourth wicket either side of tea with Shawn Graham, and put on 51 for the fifth wicket with fellow national batsman Alcindo Holder that put Empire on the verge of the lead.
After Empire reached 127 for three at the break, Graham was caught at extra cover off Sealy for 38, and Holder was caught at short extra cover off Amal Nurse for 20 to leave the home team 224 for five.
But Stoute formalised the lead for Empire, when he disdainfully swung Nurse just over the wide long-on boundary rope for his second four.
