Drakes pilots Pride to first innings lead over Scorpions

ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC):

Jonathan Drakes slammed a century for the Barbados Pride as they earned them a useful 62-run first innings lead over the Jamaica Scorpions at the end of day two of the third round of matches in the West Indies Championship yesterday.

Drakes scored 108 as the Pride were dismissed for 293 in reply to the Scorpions’ first innings total of 231 at Kensington Oval.

Drakes, along with Leniko Boucher, who scored 55, rescued the Pride after they had slipped to 62 for four at one stage.

They added 108 crucial runs for the fifth wicket before Boucher fell to leg spinner Tamarie Redwood with the score on 170.

Drakes then found a reliable ally in Matthew Forde, with the duo adding 58 runs for the sixth wicket.

Forde, who scored 26, along with Chaim Holder, who ended not out on 26, added valuable runs to ensure the Pride took a handy first-innings lead.

Off spinner Brad Barnes finished with 6-94 for the Scorpions while Jermaine Blackwood picked up 2-32.

Veteran pacer Kemar Roach then struck to remove opener Carlos Brown, as the Scorpions ended the day on 26 for one, still 36 runs in arrears.

Jason Mohammed’s unbeaten double century for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force was the highlight of the day. Mohammed scored 204 not out as the Red Force declared their innings on a mammoth 529 for five against the Leeward Island Hurricanes at Warner Park in St Kitts.

Mohammed’s unbeaten knock off 298 balls, along with Joshua Da Silva’s 152, piloted the visitors to 529 for five declared, after resuming the day on 326 for three.

It was Mohammed’s third century of the tournament, having scored 176 against the Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) and 103 against the Windward Islands Volcanoes.

Together with Da Silva, they added 259 runs for the fourth wicket to put their side in complete control.

Mohammed also shared a 53-run partnership with Joshua James, who scored 31 and 62 with Khary Pierre, who finished unbeaten on 14.

Rahkeem Cornwall was the Hurricanes’ best bowler with 3-127.

The home side made a solid reply, however, ending the day on 45 without loss, with Mikyle Louis unbeaten on 23 and Kadeem Henry on 17.

At Windsor Park: The Windward Islands Volcanoes required a strong showing from their lower order to overhaul the CCC’s first innings total.

Scores: CCC 216 in 71.3 overs (Damel Evelyn 53, Johann Jeremiah 40, Demario Richards 30, Abhijai Mansingh 25 not out; Darel Cyrus 5-71, Kenneth Dember 3-68).

Volcanoes 232-8 in 69.4 overs (Gian Benjamin 49, Kenneth Dember 40 not out, Jeremy Solozano 25; Akeem Jordan 4-49, Romario Greaves 3-55).