West Indies Local: Bryan swings it

Kensington Oval has had its fair share of outstanding fast bowling spells, and the high-class display of unerring swing bowling delivered by Hendy Bryan yesterday afternoon could compare with any.

For an hour-and-three-quarters after tea, the 29-year-old Barbadian pitched the ball on a perfect off-stump length and moved it appreciably.

The timely spell came when the Leeward Islands were threatening to take control on the opening day of the second-round Busta Cup match.

Bryan's final figures of 21-11-34-4 do not fully reflect his super effort in 11 successive overs in which he claimed three wickets, including two of the Leewards' most dangerous batsmen: Keith Arthurton and Dave Joseph.

His hard work was crucial in Barbados staging another grand recovery after the Leewards were making encouraging progress after winning the toss.

The overall statistics reflect the story of how fortunes shifted remarkably.

By 1 p.m., the Leewards had just passed 100 with only one wicket down and captain Stuart Williams was again reeling off typically exciting strokes against an attack and on a ground he thoroughly enjoys.

By the 5 p.m. close, the match was again on even keel, courtesy of a mid-innings collapse in which seven wickets tumbled for 76 runs in front of another good crowd.

Bryan, surprisingly disappointing in the opening match last weekend, repeatedly beat uncertain bats and three of his wickets came by way of catches off the edge.

The home team's effort was also assisted by a couple of moments of breathtaking fielding. Two examples were when Floyd Reifer threw himself full stretch to haul in a catch and when Ryan Hurley's blinding speed effected the run-out of Curtly Ambrose late in the day.

During the first session Barbados were uninspiringly flat.

The ball moved around a lot off the pitch, but the line was wayward for most of the morning in which the Leewards comfortably posted 73 for the loss of only Colin Cannonier.

The makeshift opener was out to an edged catch to first slip off Bryan, but by then his captain was in rich form, displaying a trademark cover-drive off Dayne Maynard in the third over and lifting an on-drive off Dave Marshall that nearly carried for six.

After the lunch-break, Williams rapidly moved into high gear, his advance emphasised by three boundaries in quick succession that suggested he would complete another firstclass hundred off Barbados.

But, in keeping with the many times he has so often gifted his wicket when set, he ended his promising innings of 62 when he casually turned a ball from Marshall into the waiting hands of Philo Wallace at mid-wicket. He was at the crease for 2 1/2 hours.

It was just reward for the leg-spinner who was beginning to settle into a nice rhythm.

Marshall often troubled No. 3 Runako Morton, but the tall 22-year-old Nevisian overcame an uncertain start to compile his first first-class half-century in his seventh match.

Two cuts off Marshall were the best of his six boundaries in an innings that was halted by Reifer's second stupendous catch of the season, a full-length diving effort at gully eight minutes before tea.

Twenty minutes earlier, debutant left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn gained his first wicket by earning a lbw decision against Sylvester Joseph when the batsmen offered no stroke.

From the moment umpire Eddie Nicholls raised his index finger, there was a loud roar from the popular Kensington Stand.

Many of those spectators had earlier put pressure on the 18- year-old six-footer when he inexcusably misfielded balls that were struck straight to him.

As the day went on, Benn's fielding improved by leaps and bounds, and the noise around the ground was almost deafening when he calmly accepted two catches in the gully off the probing Bryan.

The first, by Dave Joseph half-hour after tea, was calmly accepted low down.

The second, by Anthony Lake, was comfortably taken at chest height.