ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Jason Mohammed’s unbeaten double century for the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force was the highlight at the end of day two of Thursday’s third round of matches in the West Indies Championship.
Mohammed scored 204 not out, his third century in as many matches, as the Red Force declared their innings on a mammoth 529 for five against the Leeward Island Hurricanes.
Elsewhere, after capturing first innings leads, the Barbados Pride and Windward Islands Volcanoes hold slender advantages over the Jamaica Scorpions and Combined Campuses & Colleges.
At Warner Park in St Kitts: Jason Mohammed continued his splendid run of form with a classy, unbeaten double hundred that put the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force in the driver’s seat against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes.
Mohammed’s unbeaten 204 off 298 balls and 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, scoring 176 against the Combined Campuses & Colleges 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, and Khary Pierre, who finished unbeaten on 14.
Rahkeem Cornwall was the Hurricanes’ best bowler with 3-127.
However, the home side made a solid reply, ending the day on 45 without loss, with Mikyle Louis unbeaten on 23 and Kadeem Henry on 17.
At Kensington Oval: Jonathan Drakes’ century for the Barbados Pride earned them a 62-run first-innings lead over the Jamaica Scorpions.
Drakes scored 108, and the Pride were dismissed for 293 in reply to the Scorpions’ first innings, which totaled 231.
Drakes and 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 a score of 170.
Drakes then found a reliable ally in Matthew Forde, with the duo adding 58 runs for the sixth wicket.
Forde scored 26, and 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, 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.
At Windsor Park: The Windward Islands Volcanoes required a strong showing from its lower order to overhaul the Combined Campuses & Colleges’ (CCC) first innings total.
Leg spinner Darel Cyrus cleaned up the CCC’s tail after they resumed on 137 for five to dismiss them for 216.
Cyrus took 5-71, including three of the last four wickets to fall, and Kenneth Dember supported with 3-68 as the CCC lost their last four wickets for 45 runs.
CCC then looked set on picking up a first-innings lead of their own when they had the Volcanoes in dire straits at 80 for six after fast bowler Akeem Jordan destroyed their top order by claiming the first four wickets.
But Gian Benjamin and Ryan John had other ideas, sharing a partnership of 60 runs for the seventh wicket to get their side out of trouble.
When Romario Greaves dismissed John for 23 with a score of 149 for seven, Benjamin scored 49 and added 55 with Kenneth Dember.
Following Benjamin’s dismissal, Dember, unbeaten on 40, and Cyrus, who is not out on 13, carried their side to 232 for eight at the end of the play, a lead of 16 runs.
Jordan has taken 4-49, while Romario Greaves lent support with 3-55.
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