Pride strike late to leave game in balance

Barbados Pride grabbed three wickets in the final 34 deliveries of day one to lead a fightback in their fourth round match of the West Indies Championship against the Guyana Harpy Eagles at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

Battling the defending champions, the Pride were under pressure for most of the day before some late heroics by their seamers.

From a comfortable position of 219-2, Guyana slipped to 231-5 in the final over of the day’s play, at the hands of the experienced fast-bowling duo of Kemar Roach and Jason Holder.

The two internationals, who have played a combined 145 Test matches, are playing their first regional 4-Day match since 2020 and shared the final three wickets.

Top-order batter Kevlon Anderson stood out on the first day and registered his second first-class fifty. His responsible temperament was on display as he battled his way to 87. He put on a 123-run partnership with captain Tevin Imlach, who is playing in his first game of the season after returning from international duty in Australia. The new skipper blazed his fourth first-class 50 to put the Harpy Eagles in a commanding position after two sessions.

However, both would depart in quick succession after the second new ball was taken in the 83rd over.

Imlach was caught down the leg side for 55 as he attempted to pull Holder, while Anderson followed 10 deliveries later. The 23-year-old was given a life in the 82nd over when he was dropped off the bowling of Raymon Reifer on 75 by wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich.

However, he would only add 12 more runs before he was eventually caught at third slip off the bowling of Roach.

Earlier, after winning the toss and opting to field, the Pride were made to work hard for their first wicket after a resolute 52-run opening stand.

Their first breakthrough came via the run-out route when Matthew Nandu was involved in a mix-up and was dismissed for 28, leaving the Harpy Eagles at 56-1 at the lunch interval.

Shortly after the break, the Pride frustrated West Indies southpaw Tagenarine Chanderpaul. The Guyanese opener scored just nine runs from his final 26 deliveries faced before holing out at long on against shrewd left-arm-spinner Jomel Warrican.

The Anderson-Imlach pair then batted most of the second and third sessions on a placid surface, forcing Pride skipper Kraigg Brathwaite to use seven bowling options.

The Harpy Eagles, currently sitting in sixth position, held complete control of the game until the final 6.2 overs of the day, where they collapsed.

However, they will be optimistic about their chances with an in-form Kevin Sinclair at the crease.

Sinclair blasted an unbeaten 165 against the West Indies Academy and currently is the fifth highest run scorer in the tournament.

Nikhil Uttamchandani