Barbados holding trump cards

Barring extended rain or any other unforeseen happening today, Barbados should subject the Windward Islands to their fifth successive defeat and keep alive their slim hopes of winning the Busta Cup.

Set 335 from a minimum of 115 overs after an enterprising, exciting display from Philo Wallace and Sean Armstrong, rock-bottom Windwards showed more resilience than they have all season in the 25 overs they faced before the close.

They reached 67 for two, principally anchored by their solid 18-yearold opening batsman Romel Currency. He batted though until the end in the company of the Windwards' most dangerous batsman, Junior Murray.

Murray, however, should take been back in the pavilion, but Ryan Hinds missed an easy chance at extra-cover from a long-hop off leg-spinner Dave Marshall.

The Windwards have lost each of the four previous matches and have a highest score was 257.

Barbados owed their commanding position to their healthy first innings advantage of 142 and it was impressively built on by a second-wicket stand of 111 between Wallace and Armstrong.

Wallace, under the microscope after a string of low scores, was the Wallace of old, clobbering the ball with typical power in an innings of 78.

Armstrong, who joined Wallace after Adrian Griffith departed for a breezy 18, was not as forceful, but was just as effective in playing some scintillating strokes in completing his second half-century of the tournament.

Most eyes, however, were on Wallace following his first-ball duck in the first innings. Interestingly enough, he took first strike for the first time in the tournament and was immediately into stride.

Whenever the Windwards bowlers dropped a trifle short, they were disdainfully pulled away. Leg-spinner Orlando Jackson was twice despatched over mid-wicket and onto the big scoreboard.

In addition to those two sixes, Wallace also belted eight fours. Some were pulls, some were extra-cover drives and some were guided over the heads of the slips. Armstrong, in one over from left-arm fast-medium Deighton Butler, hit three successive boundaries - a cut, a lofted ondrive and a pull. But his most memorable shot was a stylish short-arm pull in his unique manner.

The No. 3 batsman reached his half-century with eight fours, but soon fell on 53 to a ball from leg-spinner Rawl Lewis that bounced, took the glove of the batsman and the wicket-keeper and ended in a juggled catch to Devon Smith at slip.

Wallace followed in the next over. After another of his ferocious pulls, he drove the next delivery down the throat of Smith at extracover.

In the brief period before tea, Roland Holder and Courtney Browne were content to defend, but both perished soon after the interval when Barbados were looking to increase the tempo.

A few meaty blows from Hendy Bryan, whose unbeaten 29 came off 28 balls, allowed Barbados to make the declaration a bit earlier than most anticipated. It was made 40 minutes after the break with the total 192 for five off 50 overs.

There was immediate success for Barbados with Corey Collymore inducing teenager Devon Smith into edging a catch to the keeper from a ball that bounced nicely.

Out came Kirsten Casmir to play the type of strokes he unleashed during his 63 against the Leeward Islands on debut in the previous round of matches.

The little Dominican smacked five boundaries in 28 before gifting his wicket to an inexcusable cross-batted swing against Ryan Austin's flighted off-break.

By then, Currency was batting as solid as ever. He resumes this morning on 22 as a key figure in the Windwards' plans to earn their first point of the tournament. He is so well-organised that it is hard to believe that he has never once converted any of his promising starts into a significant contribution. Today is his chance.

Murray is another player who could hold up Barbados with his forthright, aggressive methods. He ended the day on 14, five more than he should have gotten, courtesy of Hinds' miss.

Earlier, Barbados polished off the Windwards tail by claiming the last three wickets 22 after the visitors resumed on 103 for seven.