BRIDGETOWN, Bridgetown, CMC:
BARBADOS CAPTAIN Courtney Browne slammed a crucial, unbeaten century to lift his side to a first innings total of 325 all out on the second day of the third round Carib Beer Series match against Jamaica at the North Stars ground, Crab Hill in the northern parish of St. Lucy, yesterday.When fading light ended play with one over left just before 6:00 p.m., Jamaica were 31 without loss off eight overs. Leon Garrick was on 19 and Brenton Parchment, eight.
Browne's fifth first-class century and third at the regional level - he made 105 not out - could not have been more timely.
The former West Indies wicketkeeper went to the crease with the championship leaders on 141 for five and after Floyd Reifer was sixth out for 61 with the score 162, led a recovery with all-rounder Ryan Hurley (36) as the pair added 69 in 64 minutes.
Another all-rounder, Ian Bradshaw (20) put on 51 for the eighth wicket and Jamaica's frustration was compounded by Browne and Sulieman Benn (10) who featured in a last wicket stand of 41.
Browne was on 77 when Benn joined him.
"I was batting for my team. It's always a good feeling to get a hundred under such circumstances because our team was not in a position that we would have liked," Browne said.
"We wanted to get 300 runs to make a game of it. That was my target to make sure that I saw 300 runs on the board."
Browne batted for 204 minutes, faced 157 balls and struck eight fours and a five.
"I like scoring. When I am bogged down is when I get into problems but once I am scoring I am alright," Browne said.
Play again started late, this time half-an-hour before lunch because of two early morning showers, which left a damp spot at the northern end.
Barbados resumed on 89 for three and the overnight pair of Kurt Wilkinson and Reifer played quietly before the break during which 19 runs were scored off 11 overs shared between off-spinning pair Gareth Breese and Nehemiah Perry.
At the break, Wilkinson, who started the day on 32, was 35 and Reifer on 33 after resuming on 23.
Wilkinson and Reifer carried their partnership to 80 before Wilkinson lazily cut at Ryan Cunningham's first ball after the left-arm spinner was brought on from the southern end and edged a catch to wicket-keeper Keith Hibbert.
Wilkinson's 45 took 173 minutes and included six fours.
Reifer continued to play positively but soon lost Dwayne Smith, who was caught at slip off Cunningham for six to leave Barbados on 141 for five.
Breese, who ended with the best figures of three for 65, took the vital wicket of Reifer by way of a return catch as the batsman pushed towards the on-side, to end a 216-minute knock which included seven boundaries.
But any hopes Jamaica had of slicing through the lower order were thwarted by Browne and Hurley, who both attacked to telling effect. Hurley scored 36 with three fours and one six before he was leg before wicket on the backfoot by Perry. By tea Barbados were 239 for seven with Browne on 46 and Bradshaw on five. Then came the steady Barbados fightback.
