CRICKET-Batting collapse takes the shine off the performance of Layne and Alleyne – 3rd day.

THE COMBER, Ireland, CMC—Cricket West Indies Academy was facing defeat against Emerging Ireland on Thursday after a worrisome batting collapse followed a career-best spell from Johann Layne and dynamic batting from fellow Barbadian Kadeem Alleyne.

Layne, a former West Indies Under-19 pacer, ended with five for 39 from 13 overs, and the Irish side were bowled out for 274 in their second innings in the final hour before tea on the third day of the four-day, first-class match at The Green.

Alleyne then smashed a run-a-ball 93 and shared a century opening stand with former West Indies Under-19 captain Ackeem Auguste before the batting imploded. CWI Academy reached 193 for six in their second innings at the close after they were set 344 to win.

Auguste made 47 and shared 151 for the first wicket with Alleyne either side of tea, but pacer Liam McCarthy grabbed three for 24 from 11 overs, and leg-spinner Gavin Hoey bagged two for 57 from 13 overs to undermine the batting of the Caribbean side.

The CWI Academy batting started to unravel after Auguste fell and hit a wicket to McCarthy, and Alleyne gifted his wicket to Hoey in successive overs.

Teddy Bishop, Jordan Johnson, Leonardo Julien, and Carlon Tuckett-Bowen all fell cheaply for adding 15 runs in the span of 58 balls in the final hour to leave CWI Academy exposed.

Earlier, Layne, 20, led the demolition of the Emerging Ireland batting after they continued from their overnight total of 65 for two and tried to build on their lead of 134.

The visitors leaked runs during the morning session, and the hosts reached 179 for five at lunch, with Layne dismissing the prolific pair of Christopher De Freitas for 26 and Morgan Topping for two, either side of Alleyne removing Emerging Ireland captain Stephen Doheny for 41.

After lunch, lanky off-spinner Onaje Amory got Hoey stumped for 37 and ended a 78-run, sixth wicket stand between Cade Carmichael, whose 92 was the top score, but there was token resistance from the rest of the batting.

The series is part of a reciprocal agreement between Cricket Ireland and CWI, signed after the Emerging Ireland squad visited the Caribbean in November and December last year.