BASSETERRE – Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican conjured up a career-best eight-wicket haul to stun Leeward Islands Hurricanes on the opening day of their eighth-round WICB PCL contest at Warner Park yesterday.
The 22-year-old finished with eight for 88 as the Leewards, opting to bat first, were dismissed for 215 in their first innings.
Lyndel Richardson topscored with 51, while Rahkeem Cornwall got 48 and tail-ender Gavin Tonge, 20.
In the 13 overs available before the close, Barbados Pride strolled to 27 without loss with captain and Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite on 14 and Kyle Corbin on 13.
Lying bottom of the table in what has been an abysmal season, the Leewards would have been encouraged by their start, with Richardson and Montcin Hodge (19) putting on 60 for the first wicket.
Richardson faced 82 balls in 98 minutes and counted seven fours and a six, while Hodge occupied the crease for one and a half hours and faced 63 deliveries, striking three fours.
Warrican got the breakthrough, having Hodge taken at slip by Ashley Nurse, and Richardson followed ten balls later when he too edged to Nurse off Warrican, at 72 for two.
The Hurricanes crawled to lunch at 82 for two but afterwards lost Steve Liburd (12), Devon Thomas (14) and Jahmar Hamilton (15) to slump to 126 for five.
Cornwall, however, partnered with Jeremiah Louis, who made 14, to stitch up the innings in a 45-run, sixth-wicket partnership.
The burly Cornwall faced 71 balls in 87 minutes and struck nine fours, as he gave the Hurricanes impetus, and pushed them to tea at 167 for five.
He added just four to his tea time score before holing out to cover trying to hit off-spinner Nurse over the infield.
His dismissal at 171 for six triggered a collapse that saw the last five wickets tumble for 44 runs, with Warrican wreaking havoc among the tail, taking every wicket to fall. (CMC)
