Barbados Pride gave themselves a good chance of qualifying for the playoffs in the West Indies Championship by demolishing the Jamaica Scorpions by an innings and 11 runs inside three days.
The Scorpions entered the third and final round in third position with a 9.8 point lead over the Pride, but will now have to wait and see if they did enough to secure the third and final qualifying spot.
Meanwhile, the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force are well-positioned to defeat the Leeward Islands Hurricanes on Wednesday’s fourth and final day, while either the Windward Islands Volcanoes or the Guyana Harpy Eagles can snatch victory in their enthralling encounter.
At Sabina Park in Jamaica: Barbados Pride’s spinners were once again at the forefront of the Jamaica Scorpions’ demise, grabbing nine wickets in the second innings to bowl their team to an innings and 11-run victory on Tuesday’s third day.
Having been asked to follow on by 297 runs, the Scorpions put up a better showing in their second innings, but it still wasn’t enough to make the Pride bat again, as they were bowled out for 286 in 70.4 overs.
Left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop grabbed five wickets to add to his four-wicket haul in the first innings to be the main destroyer, while Jomel Warrican grabbed two wickets and off spinners Roston Chase and Kraigg Brathwaite claimed one wicket apiece.
It was always going to be an uphill battle for the home side after they resumed the day on 22 for one.
Left-arm pacer Jediah Blades struck early to dismiss Kirk McKenzie for just 12 and when Bishop accounted for the wicket of Javelle Glenn, Scorpions were in trouble at 65 for three.
Brad Barnes made 16 before he was bowled by Chase and Romaine Morris contributed 17 runs until he offered a return catch to Brathwaite to leave them precariously placed at 128 for five.
When Warrican trapped Brandon King lbw to bring his fighting innings of 63 off 144 balls to an end, the match seemed all but over at 158 for six.
However, the Scorpions were given a boost by their lower order batters, led by an impressive half century by Odean Smith.
After Bishop prised out Peat Salmon for 28, Smith teamed up with Abhijai Mansingh to add 86 runs for the eighth wicket.
Their efforts looked set to ensure the Pride would have to bat again until Warrican dismissed Mansingh for 35.
Six runs later, Smith’s aggressive innings of 73 off 45 deliveries, which included seven sixes and five fours, finally ended when he was outfoxed by Bishop to leave the Scorpions 286 for nine.
The match came to an end in the very next ball, with Bishop bowling Khari Campbell for a first ball duck.
He finished with figures of 5-72, while Warrican took 2-39.
At the Antigua Recreation Ground in Antigua: Despite playing their best cricket of the competition, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes are in a struggle to avoid defeat against the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force.
Replying to the Red Force’s mammoth first innings total of 522 for nine declared, the Hurricanes were forced to follow on after being dismissed for 345, despite a dogged century by Jahmar Hamilton and a superb knock of 90 by Karima Gore.
Pacer Anderson Phillip then ripped through the home side’s top order to leave them 160 for four in their second innings, an overall lead of just 17 runs.
Phillip accounted for the wickets of Kofi James for three, Gore for two and Mikyle Louis for 20, to reduce the Hurricanes to 55 for three early on.
Keacy Carty, who ended the day on 84 not out, stemmed the fall of wickets by adding 42 runs with Jewel Andrew, before the latter was dismissed by Bryan Charles for 27 to leave the score 97 for four.
Carty and skipper Justin Greaves then shared an unbroken partnership of 63 to ensure the Red Force will have to bat a second time.
Phillip has so far taken 3-30.
Earlier, Hamilton smashed 121 off just 119 balls, while Gore made 90 off 98 deliveries, and were the mainstay of the Hurricanes’ first innings total.
Hamilton’s fluent inning included nine sixes and nine fours, while Gore hit 16 fours.
The Hurricanes were also supported by lower order batters Rahkeem Cornwall, who made 38 and Cameron Pennyfeather who scored 29.
Phillip took 4-92 and Terrance Hinds 3-49 for the Red Force.
At the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua: Table leaders and defending champions Guyana Harpy Eagles will be fancying their chances of recording a third consecutive victory against the Windward Islands Volcanoes heading into Wednesday’s last day.
Resuming the day on 44-2 in their second innings, the Harpy Eagles recovered from a tricky position of 129 for six to be bowled out for 299, setting their opponents 318 for victory.
They then struck early to claim the wicket of Ackeem Auguste, as the Volcanoes ended the day on 17 for one.
The Harpy Eagles owed their fightback to opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul, who anchored the innings in an unbeaten knock of 117 off 297 balls.
The Volcanoes were in the ascendancy early on after capturing the wickets of skipper Tevin Imlach for 32, Kemol Savory for 12, Keemo Paul for 11 and Richie Looknauth for one, to see the Harpy Eagles collapse to 129 for six.
However, Chanderpaul and Gudakesh Motie combined in a partnership of 91 to change the momentum of the match.
And when Motie was dismissed by Kavem Hodge after scoring a crucial 53 off 66 balls with eight fours and one six, Chanderpaul added a further 52 runs with veteran Veerasammy Permaul, who made 29.
Those partnerships along with a helpful knock of 17 from Shamar Joseph helped them to carry their overall lead past the 300 mark.
For the Harpy Eagles Kenneth Dember (3-52) and Ryan John (3-58) led the way while Gilon Tyson claimed 2-53.
(CMC)
