Barbados crush Leeward, go to top

Barbados 406 for 6 dec (Dowrich 131*, K Brathwaite 72, C Brathwaite 60) beat Leeward Islands 136 (Hamilton 66, C Brathwaite 4-18, Warrican 4-33) and 80 (Cummins 3-24, Warrican 3-17) by an innings and 90 runs
Scorecard

Barbados ensured Leeward Islands remained winless, registering an innings-and-190-run victory inside three days at the Kensington Oval.

Put into bat, Barbados had a slow, middling start before finding themselves in trouble; when captain and opening batsman Kraigg Brathwaite was dismissed for a 232-ball 72, Barbados were 128 for four.

There was a mini-revival of sorts with Roston Chase, who scored an unbeaten hundred in his last game, and wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich putting on 74 for the fifth wicket.

After Chase's departure on the second day, Dowrich allied with Carlos Brathwaite to raise a 141-run stand. Once Carlos was bowled by off-spinner Hayden Walsh, Ashley Nurse upped the scoring-rate, making an undefeated 34 in 39 balls.

Dowrich, having completed his second first-class hundred, was unbeaten on 131, his highest score yet, when Barbados declared at tea on 406 for 6.

Leeward Islands began poorly, losing Austin Richards in the second ball. Matters worsened and the score plunged to 50 for 5 before wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton, the only batsman from the team to pass 50, and Akeem Saunders added 60 runs.

Following Saunders' exit, the innings unravelled rapidly with Hamilton being the last man out for 66, seamer Carlos and left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican picking up four wickets each.

Asked to follow on, Leeward's resistance was flimsier as they managed only 80, losing all their wickets in 34 overs. Barbados are now on top of the points table, having played one game more than second-placed Guyana, while Leeward Islands are at the bottom.