Roach and Holder steamroll Jaguars as Pride takes control

Despite another middle order batting collapse, the Barbados Pride still held the upper hand on the Guyana Jaguars at the end of today’s dramatic second day at the Guyana National Stadium.

On a day where 18 wickets fell, the Pride produced a memorable bowling performance to skittle out Guyana for just 55 after they resumed the day on 19 for two.

Fast bowlers Kemar Roach (5-20) and Jason Holder, who took 4-24, were the main destroyers, with the other Jaguars wicket falling by way of the run out route.

Holding a sizeable 119-run first innings lead, the Pride once again seemed set to post a challenging total, but a collapse similar to the one in the first innings saw them eventually dismissed for 210, an overall lead of 329.

Barbados’ out-of-form captain Kraigg Brathwaite once again led the way with a defiant knock of 84, while Jonathan Carter contributed 43 in another sub par batting display in which only five batsmen got into double figures.

But the day belonged to the veteran West Indies’ duo of Roach and Holder, who bowled with pace and aggression to bamboozle the Jaguars.

Resuming on 19-2, the overnight pair of Shimron Hetmyer and Leon Johnson added 14 more runs before Holder grabbed the prize scalp of Hetmyer.

So pathetic were the Jaguars that Hetmyer’s score of 14 proved to be the topscore of the innings, with only one other batsman scoring more than 10.

Without a run being added, Roach accounted for the wicket of Johnson to leave Guyana tottering on 33-4.

Things got worse for the home side five runs later when Roach had Vishaul Singh caught by Brathwaite for an 11-ball duck.

Raymon Reifer (1), Christopher Barnwell (5) and Anthony Bramble (0), all perished with the score on 39 as the Jaguars fell into further disarray at 39-8.

In fact, they needed the efforts of Romario Shepherd who hit a quickfire 12 from 11 balls to get them past 50.

In their second turn at the crease, Brathwaite was again the linchpin to hold the Pride’s innings together.

His 84 came from 180 balls and he struck nine boundaries and one six.

Similar to the first innings, the Pride lost opener Sheyne Moseley (15) and Shamarh Brooks (6) cheaply.

But Brathwaite and Carter came together in an 81-run partnership for the third wicket to help the visitors to a comfortable position of 110 for three.

However, when Christopher Barnwell trapped Carter lbw, Barbados lost their last seven wickets for 100 runs.

Keemo Paul was the Jaguars’ top bowler with 4-52, while Barnwell and Sinclair both took two wickets.