KINGSTOWN, St Vincent – Left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican struck twice in as many balls in the final session to hand Barbados Pride the advantage on the second day of their fourth-round Regional four-day contest against Windward Islands Volcanoes.
At stumps at the Arnos Vale Sports Complex yesterday, Volcanoes were battling on 151 for five in their first innings, in reply to Pride’s 360 all out earlier in the day.
They were in good shape at one stage on 89 for two, but Warrican, who was born in St Vincent, dismissed Kavem Hodge for 38 and Barbadian Kirk Edwards without scoring in successive deliveries.
However, Roland Cato came to his team’s aid with an unbeaten 47, and was partnered by Barbadian Kyle Mayers on 21, at stumps.
Volcanoes trail by 209 runs heading into today’s pivotal penultimate day.
Earlier, Pride were dismissed about 40 minutes after lunch, after resuming from their overnight 273 for five.
All-rounder Kevin Stoute, unbeaten on 59 overnight, top-scored with 84. Justin Greaves, on 14 not out at the start, made 54.
Tyrone Theophile picked up his maiden five-wicket haul in first-class cricket to finish with five for 56, while fellow off-spinner Shane Shillingford supported with three for 102.
Stoute and Greaves batted through most of the morning session to stretch their sixth-wicket stand to 91 before Stoute fell lbw to Shillingford about 20 minutes before lunch. He faced 211 balls and counted four boundaries.
On 346 for six at the break, the end came swiftly for Pride afterwards, as their last four wickets tumbled for 14 runs, with Theophile snapping up two more scalps.
Greaves, on 52 at lunch, was out in the second over following the resumption, lbw to Shillingford, after facing 142 deliveries and striking seven fours.
Pride made early inroads into the Volcanoes batting to reduce them to 16 for two after just five overs.
Fast bowler Keon Harding had the tournament’s leading run-scorer, Devon Smith, caught at slip by Ashley Nurse without scoring in the fourth over before fellow seamer Greaves sent back Taryck Gabriel to a catch at the wicket for six in the next over.
Cato and Hodge combined in a solid second-wicket stand of 73, to steer Volcanoes to 60 for two at tea.
They were threatening to dominate the final session when Warrican intervened, bowling Hodge and Edwards in successive deliveries, to leave Volcanoes on 89 for four.
When Theophile fell cheaply for 19 at 121 for five, the home side were tottering but Cato and Mayers saw them safely though the session in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 30.
The 19-year-old Cato has struck five fours in his innings so far. (CMC)
