Campbell still cold

The bad patch of Barbados captain Sherwin Campbell continued yesterday on Day 1 of the second Busta Cup trial match at Carlton Club.

Campbell, who has failed to reach 40 in any level of cricket since returning from injury in September, again looked a shadow of himself as the trialists encountered another lessthan-ideal batting pitch.

The former West Indies opener scratched around for all of 40 minutes in making just six before edging a loose drive from the pacy Fidel Edwards for Jason Haynes standing in as three other regular keepers were absent to take an excellent catch to his right.

While this was happening, Dale Richards was slaughtering the wayward bowlers to register a bold 48 not out with seven fours and a huge hook for six off 58 balls. He took 17 from Edwards' first over, while Campbell was scoreless off ten balls he faced from Edwards.

The pair added 51 for the first wicket, and so contrasting were their styles, it appeared as though they were batting on two different pitches.

But the day belonged to 17-year-old left-arm spinner Derick Bishop who cleverly grabbed five for 41 from 20.1 overs in his first bowling opportunity.

The selectors should take note of this improving allrounder, not just for the way he spins the ball, but the thought that goes into his bowling, and his excellent fielding to his own bowling. Among his scalps were Ryan Hinds (three) and Sean Armstrong (one), two of the more reliable batsmen in the trials.

Another lefthand-spinner Sulieman Benn, a certain selection, had four for 65 as the two slow bowlers shared 44 of the 63 overs.

Kurt Wilkinson, with 69 not out in three hours, looked polished and mature on a slow pitch at his home ground; but the lapses which sometimes creep into his batting, led to a mix-up and run out of Anderson Sealy after they had pulled the innings from 73 for seven to 140.