WI Domestic: Bajans in a spin

A familiar script was written at Kensington Oval yesterday. A varied Trinidad and Tobago spin attack once more caused an embarrassing downfall among Barbados' batsmen.

When Barbados were eventually relieved of their misery and were dismissed for 180 in response to the hosts' 254, they might have realised that the result of this match could have a huge impact on their position in the tournament.

If they can somehow turn around their 74-run first innings disadvantage and complete a comeback win, they will be assured of their 17th regional first-class title. If, however, they lose, they can slump to as low as sixth place in the overall positions and be denied of the Cup and possibly a place in next weekend's Busta International Shield semifinals.

The biggest crowd seen at Kensington since Carl Hooper made his presence in the opening round had to endure the calamity of Barbados conceding first innings lead for the fourth time in their five home matches this season.

The hurt might have been felt more by one of the soil's most patriotic sons, Julian Hunte, his first appearance of the season accompanied by his aquamarine and gold suit and the blowing of his conch shell that greeted every boundary.

Hunte, sitting in the front row of the 3Ws stand and sometimes standing, was forced to keep quiet when Trinidad and Tobago made light work of Barbados' lower order.

After a job of consolidation between Ryan Hinds and Roland Holder, Barbados lost their last six wickets for 39 runs against the leg-spin of Dinanath Ramnarine, the off-spin of Mukesh Persad and the back-ofthe-hand left-arm spin of Dave Mohammed.

Loose strokes

Five of Barbados' batsmen were bowled and, overall, at least six batsmen were guilty of loose strokes. In order, they were Philo Wallace, Adrian Griffith, Floyd Reifer, Holder, Courtney Browne, Hinds and Ian Bradshaw.

From the very first ball of the innings delivered by Theodore Modeste, Wallace made his intentions clear when he launched into a massive drive which peeled off the outside edge and down to the third man boundary. It was his solitary scoring stroke and Modeste hit his off stump when he aimed an ugly cross-batted shot.

There were no such attempts from Campbell, who opened his account with a firm off-drive against Darryl Brown and followed with a cover-drive that raced across the outfield.

The scoreboard was quickly ticking and Trinidad and Tobago captain Richard Smith had no option but to summon his main trump card after only five overs.

It was a move that paid dividends. Ramnarine, seeking to regain his West Indies place, came come into this match with 38 wickets and added another with his third ball with the contentious dismissal of Griffith.

It was achieved with the help of a cross-batted stroke from Griffith, but he left the playing area giving the impression that he had been hard done by the umpire.

Run-a-minute

Barbados reached 71 for two at the lunch break at a rate of a run-aminute, with both Campbell and Reifer in good touch.

Reifer, considered lucky by some to be in the team before Sean Armstrong, played a few firm drives down the ground. His enjoys a reputation against spin bowling, but it would have diminished after he hit a full-toss from the young Mohammed down the throat of mid-on.

Campbell went into a shell and managed only seven runs in almost 50 minutes in the post-lunch session when Ramnarine breached his tentative defensive prod.

It left Barbados 86 for four and in need of a recovery act.

There was temporary relief in a fighting fifth wicket stand of 55 between Hinds and Holder. At no stage were they ever able to dominate the bowling for the almost two hours they were together.

When Holder tried to free himself, he missed a drive against Ramnarine and was bowled for 28.

It was the beginning of the afternoon slump.

Browne arrived to sweep Persad over square-leg for a six, but it was a similar shot that ended his innings by a way of top-edge and a return catch to the same bowler.

Hinds, on his 20th birthday, was entrenched for more than three hours for 36 when he casually drove Mohammed straight to mid-off to leave Barbados 168 for seven.

The die-hards who still held out hope of Barbados gaining first innings lead surely lost it when Ian Bradshaw edged a pull into his stumps off Mohammed three runs later.