Fast bowler Keon Harding reiterated his immense promise with a third career five-wicket haul while Test opener Kraigg Brathwaite flirted with a return to form, as Barbados Pride took control of their fifth-round match against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force today.
The 23-year-old Harding snatched five for 57 as Red Force, resuming the second morning on 52 for one, were dismissed for a disappointing 175 in their first innings nearly an hour after lunch at Kensington Oval.
Opener Jeremy Solozano top-scored with exactly 50 after resuming on 35 while Akeal Hosein struck 28 and number 10 Uthman Muhammad, 27, but Red Force lost their last nine wickets cheaply for 104 runs.
Armed with a small but handy lead of 34, Pride reached the close on 127 for two – an overall lead of 161 runs heading into tomorrow’s penultimate day.
Left-handed opener Shayne Moseley was unbeaten on 49 while partner Brathwaite got 58, the pair posting 106 for the first wicket to deny Red Force any early success.
Moseley has so far struck five fours off 118 balls in three hours at the crease while Brathwaite gathered his second half-century of the season in what has been an otherwise bleak campaign, facing 104 balls in just under two and a half hours. He counted five fours and a six.
Bizarrely, he was dismissed for the second time in the match, lbw offering no shot, this time to seamer Terrance Hinds.
Test batsman Shamarh Brooks lasted only 11 balls before he was lbw to left-arm spinner Hosein, and Red Force then spurned two opportunities in the day’s final over from Hosein when Justin Greaves (three not out) was put down twice.
The damage, however, had been done earlier when Red Force collapsed to 136 for eight at lunch after cruising on 71 for one.
Solozano extended his third-wicket stand with captain Yannick Ottley (12) to 35 before Harding struck, comprehensively bowling Ottley with a good length delivery as the right-hander defended.
When Solozano followed, caught and bowled by Harding, Red Force were stumbling on 88 for three and then stunningly lost another three wickets in the space of 16 balls without adding to the total.
Jason Mohammed was bowled by Test seamer Kemar Roach (2-38) for 11 while former Test captain Denesh Ramdin and Yannic Cariah both perished without scoring to catches at the wicket off Harding and Roach respectively.
The tail wagged somewhat, Hosein putting on 21 for the eighth wicket with Hinds (17) and 26 for the ninth with Muhammad, who in turn added 23 for the last wicket with Daniel St Clair (six not out). (CMC)
