Victory in sight … Holder wrecks Academy with six-wicket haul

Carlon Bowen-Tuckett propped up West Indies Academy with an unbeaten half-century but Barbados Pride were closing in on victory on the penultimate day of their second round match in the West Indies Championship.

 

At the close at Kensington Oval on Friday, the Academy were 211 for six in their second innings after being forced to follow on, with the 20-year-old Bowen-Tuckett standing between his side and a heavy defeat, on 71 not out.

 

Captain Teddy Bishop struck 58 and opener Ackeem Auguste weighed in with 32, while Joshua Bishop played a handy knock down the order with 28.

 

However, the innings was taken apart by fast bowler Ramon Simmons (3-29) and West Indies left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican (3-72), the latter still pumped from his 19-wicket haul against Pakistan in the two-Test series last month.

 

Earlier, the visitors were turned over for 239 in their first innings after resuming the third afternoon of the “pink-ball” contest on 111 for three, off-spinner Chaim Holder snatching six for 70 to establish Pride’s control.

 

Rivaldo Clarke, unbeaten overnight on 69, top-scored with 78 while the enterprising Bishop entertained with a 26-ball unbeaten 57, last man McKenny Clarke chipping in with a breezy 30.

 

West Indies Academy had the worst possible start, losing six wickets for 32 runs before Bishop counter-attacked with nine fours and a couple of sixes – in a crucial 83-run last wicket partnership with McKenny Clarke who struck three fours and two sixes.

 

Holder took five of the last seven wickets to end with career-best figures.

 

With the follow-on enforced, West Indies Academy lost Justin Jagessar cheaply for six but a string of partnerships kept the innings afloat. Teddy Bishop, who faced 97 balls and counted eight fours, posted 55 for the second wicket with Auguste before adding a further 30 for the third with Rivaldo Clarke (10).

 

When Bishop and Mavendra Dindyal (0) fell in the space of 13 deliveries with no addition to the score at 121 for five, Bowen-Tuckett combined with Joshua Bishop in an 87-run eighth wicket stand to frustrate the Pride’s bowlers.

 

The right-hander has so far faced 107 balls and struck 13 fours.

(BT)