Barbados: Wickets Fall Like Rain (22 November 1998)

22 November 1998

Barbados: Wickets Fall Like Rain

by Philip Hackett

Fifteen wickets fell for 157 runs as Sports and Games YMPC and second-placed Cable and Wireless BET were locked in a compelling battle yesterday.

Surprisingly it was the bowlers who enjoyed a productive day in hot conditions as batsmen on both teams struggled for runs.

Rommel Brathwaite was the only batsman to pass 30 and even though a dry pitch did produce occasional low bounce, the conditions could hardly be blamed for the batting failures of both teams.

From the first over of the day the bowlers took charge with Brian Johnson being bowled by Gilbert Rock without scoring. Ron Bates dominated for a while but his effort was too brief to benefit his team and he fell to the first delivery of spin from Terry Rollock, caught at long off by Barry Lowe for 17.

Rommel Brathwaite and Antonio Mayers batted cautiously against the spin of Rollock (4-36) and William Lashley in a stand of 35 but the introduction of medium pacer Kenrick Marshall (5-13) brought about the fall of Mayers, leg-before-wicket for 16.

A major collapse followed as the last eight wickets could only add 39. Ian Bradshaw, Ryan Hurley and Adrian Brathwaite all fell within the space of 11 runs, leaving Rommel Brathwaite to try to hold the innings together.

Rommel's innings ended when he played a ball from Rollock onto his stumps.

Rollock's four-wicket haul took his season's tally to 59 while Marshall's five has pushed his total to 38.

When YMPC replied, Adrian Jones and Leon Layne took the score to 22 amidst a wayward start from the fiery Collymore and it was the apparently less threatening pace of Hutson which did the initial damage. Layne drove a catch straight to Ryan Hurley at point and Layne was just as accurate in picking out Brian Johnson at extra cover.

Collymore joined in the act as YMPC slumped to 41 for five but 17-year-old former Garrison Secondary student Damien Harte and lefthander Ian Straughn survived until bad light ended play at 5:24 p.m. with three overs left.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)