Wet outfield rules out play for third straight day

LUCAS STREET, Barbados (CMC):

A wet outfield yesterday forced the abandonment of the third day's play in the third-round match in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Professional Cricket League between Barbados Pride and Jamaica.

A trough system dumped heavy rains across the island from Thursday through Saturday, and even though good weather returned yesterday, the Windward Sports Club remained unfit for play.

Ground staff at the eastern Barbados venue worked tirelessly in mopping-up operations, but with significant water still on the outfield, umpires called off the game at 2:45 p.m.

It was the third straight day that play was abandoned without a ball bowled.

Meanwhile, Trinidad and Tobago turned the tables on troubled Leeward Islands and were closing in on a come-from-behind victory on the penultimate day of their second-round clash yesterday. After trailing on first innings, Red Force hit back strongly to bundle out the hosts for 130 in their second innings and set themselves an uncomplicated victory target of 203 at Warner Park.

At the close, they had reached 95 for two, and were requiring a further 108 to win the contest. Yannick Ottley was unbeaten on 40 and was partnered by Jason Mohammed on 17.

STEADY INNINGS

The Leewards were right in it when they claimed openers Lendl Simmons (13) and Imran Khan (21) cheaply, but Ottley and Mohammed steadied the innings in an unbroken 53-run, third wicket stand. Ottley, a 23-year-old right-hander, has hit four fours and a six off 199 balls.

Earlier, leg-spinner Imran Khan snatched six for 13 as the Leewards, resuming on 17 without loss, were sent crashing for a modest total. They were 62 without loss but collapsed to lose 10 wickets for 68 runs in a nightmare period on either side of lunch. They lost four wickets in the morning to be 109 for four at the break and the remaining six wickets then tumbled after lunch for the addition of only 21 runs.

Opener Austin Richards top-scored with 42 off 61 deliveries while Jahmar Hamilton contributed 31. Seamer Emrit took two for 13.

At Guyana National Stadium, Guyana lead by 240 runs overall.

SCORES: GUYANA 291 (Narsingh Deonarine 139, Shiv Chanderpaul 62, Assad Fudadin 34; Kenroy Peters 5-36, Mervin Mathew 3-29, Nelon Pascal 2-53) and 133 for five (Narsingh Deonarine 34, Shiv Chanderpaul 31 not out, Leon Johnson 25; Mervin Mathew 3-24, Alston Bobb 2-30).

WINDWARD ISLANDS VOLCANOES 184 (Liam Sebastien 54, Lindon James 29, Devon Smith 29, Tyrone Theophile 21; Narsingh Deonarine 5-34, Veerasammy Permaul 3-30, Devendra Bishoo 2-66).