Dowrich, Nurse put Pride in front

A 159-run seventh-wicket partnership between Shane Dowrich and Ashley Nurse dug Barbados Pride out of trouble against TT Red Force to give the visitors the edge in the West Indies Four-Day Championship match at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, on Friday.

Responding to the Red Force first innings total of 239, Pride were tottering on 73/6 in the second session with fast bowler Anderson Phillip leading the way with three wickets. The bowlers were also backed up by some excellent fielding. The fifth wicket fell when Kyle Mayers was run out for 11 by Cephas Cooper's throw to wicket-keeper Joshua Da Silva.

Mayers pushed the ball to Cooper's left at short cover and he retrieved the ball and threw it to Da Silva who collected and hit the stumps from a few yards away.

After Kevin Stoute was bowled for two, West Indies wicket-keeper Dowrich and Nurse prevented Red Force from earning a huge first innings lead with an attacking partnership that frustrated the home team in the second half of the day.

The pair ignored the scoreboard and showed intent especially taking a liking to the Red Force spinners. Dowrich, who came to the middle with Pride on 36/3, cracked Red Force captain and leg-spinner Imran Khan for two fours in one over as he approached his 50. Nurse, who asserted himself immediately, followed Dowrich by cracking left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein for two boundaries in an over as the Pride went to tea on 131/6, still trailing Red Force by 108 runs.

Dowrich got to his half century with a fortuitous four as he found the edge and the ball flew between Da Silva and first slip fielder Bryan Charles.

Red Force got a half chance shortly after, but Uthman Muhammad misjudged a catch at mid on to give Nurse a life. After Dowrich just made his ground completing a quick single, Nurse joined Dowrich on 50 as the partnership got close to 100. Nurse got into the sixties and moved past Dowrich in the runs column as Pride progressed to 178/6, trailing only by 61 runs.

Dowrich and Nurse seemed to be taking Pride past the Red Force score, but, with their total on 232, Nurse was bowled by Khan for 81. His knock came off 96 deliveries and included ten fours and three sixes.

Phillip got the prized wicket of Dowrich, denying the diminutive batsmen his century as he was bowled for 96 off 157 balls with 16 fours.

Phillip got a five-wicket haul when he trapped Keon Harding for eight leg-before as Pride closed on 254/9, a lead of 15 runs. Phillip ended the day with 5/58 in 17.3 overs.

Earlier, resuming on 192/5 in the first innings Red Force were dismissed for 239 with Da Silva cracking 77. Fast bowler Chemar Holder was the chief destroyer snatching 4/68 in 23.4 overs.

Scoreboard

TT RED FORCE VS BARBADOS PRIDE

Red Force 1st inns:

(Overnight 192/5)

K Hope LBW b Mayers*40

C Cooper b Mayers*16

I Rajah b Holder*33

J Mohammed b Mayers*0

J Da Silva b Stoute*77

J Goolie b Holder*7

I Khan b Stoute*23

A Hosein LBW b Holder*9

B Charles c Greaves b Stoute*1

U Muhammed not out*21

A Phillip c Moseley b Holder*2

EXTRAS (B3, LB3, NB4)*10

Total*239

Fall of wickets: 59; 60; 60; 144; 156; 195; 214; 214; 230; 239.

BOWLING: Holder 23.4-6-68-4; Harding 17-4-74-0; Mayers 16-5-39-3; Stoute 20-9-30-3; Warrican 10-5-22-0.

Pride 1st inns:

K Brathwaite LBW b Phillip*13

S Moseley b Charles*21

S Brooks b Phillip*0

J Greaves LBW b Phillip*4

S Dowrich b Phillip*96

K Mayers run out (Da Silva)*11

K Stoute b Muhammed*2

A Nurse b Khan*81

J Warrican not out*8

K Harding LBW b Phillip*8

C Holder not out*0

EXTRAS (B6, LB3, NB1)*10

Total for nine wickets*254

Fall of wickets: 16; 22; 36; 42; 71; 73; 232; 246; 254.

BOWLING: Phillip 17.3-3-58-5; Muhammed 17-4-61-1; Charles 5-1-26-1; Hosein 13-3-52-0; Khan 13-3-48-1.