THE PENDULUM swung full circle at Kensington Oval yesterday.
Barbados ended a satisfying day against Jamaica, thanks to a spirited fightback in both departments of the game on the second day of their third-round WICB regional four-day cricket match.
In the first half-hour, Fidel Edwards and Jason Holder, who finished with a career-best five for 58 in 21 overs, combined to trigger a swift lower-order collapse after the guests resumed building on their platform of 316 for five.
It was transformed into a total of 324 all out, the last four wickets tumbling for eight runs in the face of an improved showing from Edwards.
For the remainder of the day, Barbados, anchored by the dogged Kraigg Brathwaite, made an encouraging reply to close on 220 for four.
Their biggest disappointment would have been seeing Brathwaite lose his wicket a few minutes shy of the end after having batted responsibly for more than five-and-a-half hours in compiling a determined 76.
There was support from everyone else expect experienced opener Dale Richards, who is still without a major score this season.
Richards fell to the second ball of the second over when he was guilty of hitting to leg, but Brathwaite buckled down with the assistance of meaningful partnerships involving Kyle Hope, Ryan Hinds and Kevin Stoute.
The hallmark of Brathwaite’s remarkable success throughout his short, prolific career is his ability to concentrate for long periods, and yesterday was another example of stubborn resistance and clever accumulation of runs.
He faced up to 242 balls, hardly hit any of those in the air and found the boundaries six times in maintaining the outstanding form this season that has brought him scores of 33, 102 not out and 43.
Kyle Hope, moved up two notches to No. 3 in the absence of the World Cup-bound Kirk Edwards, looked a class act in stroking 38 off 56 balls but not for the first time this season, his promising start did not convert into a major contribution.
Hope attracted a good ball from leg-spinner Odean Brown that hit his off stump, but had he gone forward instead of back, he might have stood a chance.
The dismissal brought out Hinds at 50 for two and the Barbados captain consolidated with Brathwaite during a third-wicket partnership of 106 that started cautiously before gaining momentum.
Hinds went past Brathwaite in the 40s and was batting comfortably when Jamaica removed him shortly after he got a reprieve when the second slip fielder missed a difficult diving chance off pacer Andrew Richardson.
Barbados’ leading run-scorer in regional first-class competitions was at the crease for just under three hours, faced 122 balls and struck four boundaries in his outstanding form that previously produced scores of 94, 29 and 135.
Stoute buckled down to play a sensible hand to finish the day unbeaten 35 – which he will look to build on today when Barbados resume needing a further 105 runs to claim first innings points for the first time this season.
Brathwaite and Stoute had added 54 when the stand was broken by the second new ball.
 Brathwaite went onto the back foot to a short ball from Jerome Taylor but he trod on his stumps, giving Jamaica a lifeline at a critical time.
Despite the loss of Brathwaite, Barbados would be content with their progress on a day they unsettled Jamaica at the beginning.
Edwards, wicketless on the opening day, set the tone with his second ball of the morning that bounced more than Dave Bernard bargained for.
As the batsman pushed forward, the ball took him on the glove and ballooned for wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich to run in and complete one of his four catches in the innings.
Bernard failed to add to his overnight 84 and Jamaica proceeded to fold without much of a fight.
Taylor casually gave a catch to mid-off to the first ball he received and the slide continued at the opposite end where Holder grabbed his fifth wicket of the innings, which promoted an emphatic celebration.
Edwards took the ninth wicket with another catch to mid-off. That brought an end to Jamaica’s innings as Brendan Nash was unable to return to the middle after receiving seven stitches to his right ear, the result of a lifting ball from Tino Best the previous day. ?
