RYAN HINDS established a new national record yesterday and Barbados finally overcame their long-running jinx against Trinidad and Tobago and Guaracara Park.
While Hinds and Kirk Edwards will be disappointed at missing out on centuries, there was a huge measure of satisfaction for Hinds on becoming the leading run-scorer for Barbados in regional first-class competitions on the second day of their WICB four-day contest in which his team dominated.
Hinds fell for 94, Edwards made 93 and Shamarh Brooks, one of young guns picked to expose Barbados’ potential to the West Indies selectors, stroked an impressive unbeaten 61 that led to an imposing total of 395 to which Trinidad and Tobago responded with 55 for one at the close.
When Hinds reached 55 in the pre-lunch session, it carried his aggregate past Philo Wallace’s tally of 4 926 runs and placed him top of the run-charts among Barbados batsmen at regional level.
“It means a lot to me. It is something that when I leave my playing days I can say that l left a mark in the history of Barbados’ cricket,” Hinds told SUNSPORT.
“I would also like to thank the people who supported me throughout the years. It is something very, very special for me.
“I never thought I would be in this position. My major focus was to go out there, represent Barbados and give 100 per cent.”
Barbados have a woeful record on this ground in recent years, having lost three of their last four matches, but having made all of the running over the first half of this game, it is safe to assume they won’t lose this time.
It was a total team effort that contributed to the overall success and in addition to the three half-centuries, there were also useful scores from Kevin Stoute (34), Kraigg Brathwaite (33), Tino Best (31) and Kyle Hope (20) and five half-century partnerships, including four in succession.
Trinidad and Tobago’s quartet of spinners were steady without producing much of a threat and Barbados’ batsmen buckled down with a sense of purpose in building the innings.
Both Hinds and Edwards resumed the morning session eying landmarks but never fully achieved their ultimate goal.
Edwards was seven away from a second first-class century when he was ruled lbw to left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed to end an innings that lasted three-and-three-quarter hours and included 13 fours and a six off 188 balls. By the time the umpire’s finger went up, Edwards had nearly completed running the length of the pitch and there was some debate over if the ball was heading down leg and too high.
Hinds batted confidently throughout and made the most of a few unaccepted chances, the most notable when he was on 52 and let off at silly-point. When he was within striking distance of his 12th first-class hundred he was bowled behind his back by Mohammed after batting four and a quarter hours, facing 214 balls and striking ten fours and a six.
Mohammed’s final returns of four for 90 were somewhat flattering but leg-spinner Imran Khan looked dangerous and was rewarded with the wickets of Kyle Hope and Kevin Stoute on either side of lunch.
Hope, Division 1 cricket’s most prolific batsman over the past two seasons, was assured in getting to 20 but surrendered his hand with an irresponsible stroke, heaving to the on-side and giving the fielder at mid-on all the time in the world to settle under the ball.
Stoute arrived to replace him and immediately tried to be positive. A Barbados reserve for the most part of the last two regional tournaments in the shorter forms of the game, Stoute will want to make his mark at this level and looked to be set for something major before he gave a catch to silly-point from a defensive prod.
It brought to the crease Brooks, one of six Barbados players under the age of 23 and the former West Indies youth team captain displayed a sublime touch en route to his maiden half-century in a first-class match.
Classic drives through the off-side and neat wristy strokes through the off-side highlighted an innings that contained nine fours off 104 balls in two hours and demonstrated that he is much better than a No. 7.
If Barbados slipped in momentum in the pre-tea session in which they lost four wickets for the addition of 80 runs, they restored their advantage in the first hour after the break when Brooks and Best put on 63 at better than a run a minute.
Brooks’ fellow High Performance Centre students, Shane Dowrich (5) and Jason Holder (2) made no impression, both falling to their Cave Hill-based colleague Shannon Gabriel, the former bowled by a top ball that cut back and the latter well held by diving wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin in front of first slip.
When Trinidad and Tobago responded, Pedro Collins made his typical early breakthrough, dislodging Justin Gullien with the fourth delivery, the left-hander bowled when the ball came from the bat as he attempted to leave the ball alone.
It was the solitary success for Barbados. Runako Morton, in his first first-class match for his new team, cracked five powerful boundaries off Best in an unbeaten 45 and Lendl Simmons was a silent partner in their half-century stand that Barbados will he hoping to end quickly when the action resumes at 9:30 a.m. today.