Article by David Harris

Barbados Pride defeated Cricket West Indies Academy by an innings and 54 runs in the session before lunch on the final day of their day/night contest at Kensington Oval on Saturday afternoon. Off-spinner Jonel Warrican (six for 104) and left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds (four for 43) shared all 10 wickets to set up the convincing victory. 

The Academy started the day at 211  for six wickets still needing 136 runs to erase the follow-on, and were dismissed for 288, the not-out batsmen were Carlton Bowen-Tuckett on 71,  and Zishan Motara yet to score. Motara added 10 runs before he was bowled by Warrican with the score on 232. 

Johann Layne joined Bowen-Tuckett and the pair added exactly 50 runs. In between Bowen-Tuckett raised his maiden first-class century, compiled in 154 balls inclusive of 13 fours over 201 minutes at the crease. 

The Academy lost their eighth wicket at 282 when Layne, attempting to clear the long on boundary, became Warrican’s fifth victim when he holed out to Kevin Wickham for 27 runs which included two fours and two sixes. 

Simmonds dismissed McKenny Clarke for one, after Clarke edged to wicketkeeper Leniko Boucher. Warrican sealed the win for Pride after bowling last man Jediah Blades for four to wrap up the Academy’s innings on 288. 

Article by David Harris

Barbados Pride were on the verge of victory against the West Indies Cricket Academy at the close of play on the third day in their day/night West Indies Cricket (CWI) Championship match at Kensington Oval on Friday night. 

Starting the day on 111-3 with Rivaldo Clarke and Jediah Blades on 69 and one respectively, the Academy were bowled out for 239 in reply to Barbados massive total of 581 for nine declared. 

Bades added a single to his overnight score before he was trapped lbw by off-spinner Chaim Holder, and Clarke who played several attractive strokes on Thursday night was caught by wicketkeeper Demetrius Richards off Holder for 78. 

At that stage the Academy were in deep trouble at 127 for five wickets and the floodgates were open as four wickets fell for just 29 runs, leaving the Academy tottering at 156 for nine wickets. 

 An entertaining tenth- wicket partnership of 83 runs between Joshua Bishop (57 not out) and McKenny Clarke (30 off 20 balls) lifted the Academy’s spirits, Bishop faced 26 balls and struck nine fours, and two sixes. 

 Eventually, the Academy were bowled out for 239 off 64.5 overs. Holder picked up six wickets for 70 runs from 16 overs, and left-arm spinner Jomel  Warrican took two wickets for 57 runs. 

Following on with a deficit of 342 runs, the Academy are 211 for six wickets at the close of play, still trailing Barbados by 131 runs. 

 Once again, their top-order faltered, Ackeem Auguste (32), Justin Jagessar (six) and Rivaldo Clarke (10) were dismissed with just 99 runs on the scoreboard. 

 Captain Teddy Bishop stopped the slide with 58 runs off 98 balls spiced with eight fours; but when Bishop and Mavendra  Dindyal were dismissed by left-arm seamer Ramon Simmins with the score on 121, Barbados would have hoped to wrap up the match on the third day. 

A fighting six wicket partnership of 87 between Carton Bowen-Tuckett and Joshua Bishop will have to wait until the final day to win the match. 

Bishop was bowled by Warrican for 28 just before the close of play, and Bowen-Tuckett is unbeaten on 71, so far, he has faced 107 balls, and struck 12 fours.  

Simmond has taken three wickets for 29 runs from eight overs, and Warrican three-72. 

Article by David Harris

Captain Kraigg Brathwaite and Jonathan Drakes scored centuries for Barbados Pride against West Indies Cricket Academy on the first day of the Day/Night match in Cricket West Indies Four Day Championships at Kensington Oval on Wednesday. 

At the close of play Barbados were in a commanding position at 354-3, Brathwaite was unbeaten on 143 and Demetrius Richards on six. Earlier Barbados won the toss and opted to bat, Brathwaite and Zachary McCaskie (49) shared an opening stand of 96,  McCaskie faced 66 balls and struck five fours and a six before he was trapped leg before wicket by left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop.

After McCaskie’s wicket fell;  Drakes and Brathwaite added 228 runs for the second wicket with both batsmen scoring centuries in an authoritative manner.  Drakes scored an attractive 117 runs that contained 17 fours and four sixes from 176 balls before offering a return catch to fast bowler Johann Layne to end his stay at the crease. 

Kevin Wickham’s time in the middle was brief, he was bowled by pacer McKenny Clarke for nine runs;  but Brathwaite has stood like the  the Rock of Gibraltar at the crease, his century came off 153 balls with 11 fours,  so far the has West Indies captain has faced 241 balls and struck 14 fours. Brathwaite and his team will be looking to score a massive first- innings total when plays resumes at 1 o’clock this afternoon.