EACH TIME it seemed the Barbados batsmen had found a way to cope with the wiles of Trinidadian mystery off-spinner Sunil Narine, he conjured up an amazing delivery to snare a key scalp.
After defying the odds [the injured Shane Dowrich was unable to bat] to mount a solid reply to Trinidad and Tobago’s challenging first innings total of 338, Barbados lost the crucial wickets of Jonathan Carter (37) and a somewhat handicapped Ryan Hinds in the last half-hour – both to unplayable deliveries from the probing Narine.
It meant the Bajans declined to 254 for seven at stumps on the second day of their third-round Regional Four-Day cricket match, still needing 85 more runs for first innings lead with three wickets in hand.
Narine, who ended the day with four for 69 off 29 overs, also accounted for Barbados captain Kirk Edwards, who batted attractively for 70, including 10 fours, off 101 balls in 164 minutes.
The day started encouragingly for the hosts as they captured the last four Trinidadian wickets for 45 runs in 55 minutes after they resumed from 293 for six.
A fiery Fidel Edwards, operating with the second new ball, finished with five for 64 in 19.5 overs.
Trinidad and Tobago’s captain Denesh Ramdin fell for 88 (12×4, 276 minutes, 202 balls), adding two more fours to his overnight 80, while Rayad Emrit moved from 38 to 62 not out, striking six fours and a six off 87 balls in 139 minutes.
In response, Edwards and Kraigg Brathwaite, who contributed a typically patient 27 in two hours off 96 balls, featured in a second-wicket stand of 76 runs on either side of lunch after the early loss of left-handed opener Omar Phillips, snapped up at slip for a “duck” off pacer Atiba Allert.
The pair had taken the score to 32 for one at lunch, with Brathwaite escaping on four when Imran Khan dropped a “dolly’ at gully as the batsman fended off a lifting delivery from the pacy Shannon Gabriel.
On resumption, Edwards also got a “life” on 38, when Jason Mohammed missed a sharp chance at slip off Narine, but Brathwaite injudiciously cut at a short ball from Emrit and was caught behind by Darren Bravo.
Bravo was called into service as wicketkeeper after Lendl Simmons – who had ironically started the job with Ramdin unable to keep because of an injured left hand even though he fielded throughout the innings – also damaged a finger while trying to catch a ball from Gabriel.
Hinds joined Edwards and got off the mark with a six over midwicket off leg-spinner Khan, who he also smashed for another straight six.
But Barbados lost Edwards on the stroke of tea with the score on 134 for three when he was brilliantly caught one-handed by Justin Guillen at forward short leg off Narine.
On resumption, Carter blossomed after Hinds had to retire hurt when he was struck a painful blow on the forearm by the pacy Gabriel.
The bowler had earlier had Hinds dropped by Khan in the gully during an eventful over
in which he tested the batsman with short deliveries and the two exchanged words after the batsman had whipped to the bowler to the midwicket fence.
Christopher Jordan came in to replace Hinds, probably batting higher in the order than at any stage in his previous 28 first-class matches, but was adjudged leg before wicket for 12, as he played across a full-length delivery from Narine.
Sulieman Benn gave solid support to Carter, who had pulled Emrit for a big six over midwicket during a threatening 55-run fifth-wicket stand.
But the return of Narine resulted in the downfall of Carter, who popped a catch to silly mid-off off a delivery that bounced and turned sharply.
Benn drove a simple catch to Mohammed in the covers off Gabriel, and Hinds returned to the crease and was prised out by Narine with a sharp off-cutter that reared off the pitch and kissed the batsman’s glove.
