West Indies Domestic: Game on a knife-edge

If the gripping battle for first innings lead was a prelude, one can safely predict an exhilarating finish to the second-round Busta Cup match between Barbados and the Leeward Islands today.

On an absorbing day in which the pendulum swung back and forth, the Leewards twice mounted significant partnerships to unsettle Barbados' victory bid at Kensington Oval yesterday.

Barbados clinched a narrow first innings lead in the morning session in which Courtney Browne arrived at his first regional century, but then were frustrated after seemingly seizing an advantage with three double-strikes.

When rain ended Day 3 with three overs still to be completed, the Leewards' overall lead was 167 with two wickets intact, including their most accomplished batsman in the second innings, Runako Morton. The tall, 21-year-old, who displayed plenty of maturity in reaching his second half-century of the match, was unbeaten on 70.

Whatever target Barbados are set, they will know that it will be no cake-walk if one has to judge by the high-quality spell of fast bowling from Curtly Ambrose yesterday morning.

More than 3000 spectators at the ground might have filed out of Kensington wondering why Barbados had not yet started their run-chase after the Leewards were rocked by Dayne Maynard and Ian Bradshaw in the post-lunch session.

The impressive Maynard bowled Stuart Williams 20 minutes before the break when the Leewards captain dragged an intended pull into his stumps, and followed up with the scalps of Colin Cannonier and Sylvester Joseph, the former falling to a diving catch by Browne.

The Leewards were then 25 for three. It became 65 for five when left-armer Bradshaw dismissed the watchful Keith Arthurton and Dave Joseph in successive balls.

The first of the afternoon's two significant partnerships followed between Morton and the assured Carl Tuckett. The pair added 60 for the sixth wicket in an hour-and-a half in which Barbados' fielding dropped off.

Another double-strike followed and it became 132 for seven.

Tuckett was lbw to a straight ball from left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn, while Anthony Lake was run out by a direct throw from Maynard running in from deep mid-off.

For the next hour-and-a-quarter there was more resistance from the Leewards with Ambrose partnering Morton in an eighth-wicket stand of 44 that was broken just before the close when captain Philo Wallace held a neat, low catch at cover off Hendy Bryan.

During the entire proceedings, Morton defied Barbados for just under five hours in an innings that tested his patience.

In his days at the Nortel youth level, the Nevisian right-hander had a reputation as a 'ball-beater', but here was a different player who negotiated most of his 195 balls with due care and application.

The morning session was very tense as there was an intriguing battle for first innings points.

Barbados gained a small advantage of 11 runs, but it was achieved with their last-wicket pair after the mean Ambrose caused some heartbeats to increase by repeatedly going past the outside edge of probing bats.

Browne, needing two runs to complete his third first-class half-century, took nine balls to arrive at the landmark, but he soon lost Dave Marshall and Maynard to catches in the slips.

Barbados needed six runs for the lead when last man Sulieman Benn joined Browne and, after a couple anxious moments, there was a loud roar when a shot in the dark from Benn allowed the batsmen to scamper a single.