BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC) – Liam Sebastien blasted his second first-class hundred to put Windward Islands on the brink of a first innings lead over Barbados in the WICB regional first-class championship yesterday.

Sebastien struck a chancy, career-best 143, as Windwards, replying to Barbados’ first innings total of 287, reached 285 for seven at the close on the second day in their day/night fourth round match at Kensington Oval.

The 25-year-old from Dominica reached his hundred from 151 balls, when he played a searing square drive off Tino Best through backward point for the 12th of his 14 fours.

It was an emotional moment for Sebastien. He celebrated the landmark in animated fashion, punching the air violently with his fists and his bat before he threw his helmet high into the night sky.

But Sebastien lived a charmed life. He benefited from no less than four chances from the erratic Barbadians.

On 16, he was caught at mid-on off a Tino Best no-ball, and on 79, wicketkeeper Patrick Browne put down a straightforward chance off the same bowler just before tea.

After reaching his milestone, Sebastien survived a run-out chance on 108, when Best’s wayward throw from mid-on eluded Browne, and rolled into the fine-leg boundary four.

Sebastien was then dropped on 125 at deep mid-wicket off Barbados captain Ryan Hinds – bowling his uncomplicated left-arm spin – when Kirk Edwards muffed a skier, and succeeded in parrying the ball over the ropes for six.

After mercilessly punishing the Barbadians bowlers for a little more than 4-1/2 hours, Sebastien was dismissed about 25 minutes before the close, when he gave a soft return catch to leg-spinner Nikolai Charles with the Windwards 15 runs away from attaining the lead.

When he arrived, the innings was in strife on 12 for two, after off-spinner Shane Shillingford snared the last two Barbadian wickets to finish with six for 98 from 37.4 overs.

Windwards suffered an immediate setback, when Devon Smith, their captain and most celebrated batsman, was caught and bowled for four off Pedro Collins from the second ball of the innings.

Best then tightened the screws, when he bowled Tyrone Theophille for one with the penultimate ball of the second over.

Sebastien came to the crease and started the recovery operation in partnership with Andre Fletcher. The pair added 125 either side of lunch to establish a new Windwards record for the third wicket against Barbados.

Sebastien batted with great enterprise almost from the start. He also struck three sixes from his 215 balls, including a sensational pull over mid-wicket on one leg off Best that brought the small, but lively crowd to its feet.

Fletcher however, curbed his natural aggressive instincts, and was prepared to play the supporting role to Sebastien before he was caught at deep extra cover for 63 driving Shamarh Brooks inside-out over the top. He struck eight boundaries from 126 balls in a little more than two hours.

Donwell Hector was then caught behind for nine essaying a dab to third man off Hinds to leave Windwards on 156 for four.

At this stage, Sebastien was flowing, and continued to plunder runs freely. He added 93 for the fifth wicket with Lyndon James before the Windwards wicketkeeper/batsman was caught at extra cover off Collins for 28.

Sebastien followed a little more than half-hour later, and Shillingford was caught at gully off Kevin Stoute for six.

Earlier, Shillingford snared two of the last three Barbados scalps, after the home team resumed from their overnight total of 255 for seven.

He had Best caught in the deep for seven, and bowled Collins for 17 before Smith ran Corey Edwards out for one to bring the Barbados innings to a close.

Barbados hold down second place on 21 points and Windwards are third on 12 points with a match in hand.

BARBADOS 1st innings (o/n 255 for seven)
D. Richards c Smith b Lewis 50
J. Haynes c & b Shillingford 51
K. Edwards c & b Peters 55
R. Hinds c Smith b Shillingford 40
K. Stoute lbw b Lewis 14
S. Brooks c Butler b Shillingford 30
P. Browne c Hector b Shillingford 1
N. Charles not out 12
T. Best c Pascal b Shillingford 7
P. Collins b Shillingford 17
C. Edwards run-out 1
Extras: (lb-3, nb-6) 9
Total: (all out, 106.4 overs) 287
Fall of wickets: 1-95, 2-108, 3-163, 4-183, 5-249, 6-249, 7-250, 8-258, 9-280.
Bowling: Butler 13-0-37-0, Pascal 16-3-56-0, Peters 16-3-35-1, Shillingford 37.4-8-98-6, Lewis 24-4-58-2 (nb-6).

WINDWARD ISLANDS 1st innings
D. Smith c & b Collins 4
T. Theophille b Best 1
A. Fletcher c K. Edwards b Brooks 63
L. Sebastien c and b Charles 143
D. Hector c wkp. Browne b Hinds 9
L. James c K. Edwards b Collins 28
R. Lewis not out 16
S. Shillingford c Brooks b Stoute 6
D. Butler not out 0
Extras: (b-1, lb-2, w-1, nb-11) 15
Total: (7 wkts, 84 overs) 285
Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-12, 3-137, 4-156, 5-249, 6-273, 7-284.
Bowling: Collins 13-2-51-2 (nb-4), Best 10-0-68-1 (nb-6), Charles 15-5-52-1 (nb-1), Edwards 5-0-34-0, Hinds 25-10-36-1, Brooks 12-1-35-1 (w-1), Stoute 4-1-6-1.
Position: Windwards trail by two runs with three first innings wickets standing.