CAVE HILL, Barbados (CMC) – The Windward Islands, led by three wickets apiece from left-arm seamer Kenroy Peters and off-spinner Shane Shillingford, took an early grip of their third round WICB regional first-class match against hosts Combined Campuses & Colleges at the Three Ws Oval yesterday.

CCC, who won the toss and chose to bat, were bundled out for 158 just after tea. Peters used his immaculate control to collect three for 31 while Shillingford was equally probing in grabbing three for 38.

Captain Darren Sammy also provided key breakthroughs, his medium pace earning two for 22, while CCC contributed two careless run-outs themselves.

Only Chadwick Walton (42) and Nekoli Parris (40), in a sixth-wicket stand of 61, offered much resistance.

The visitors, despite losing a wicket in their first over, replied soundly to reach 89 for two at the close, just 70 runs away from earning a first innings lead.

Number three Andre Fletcher departed just before the close for 36 but experienced opener Devon Smith was unbeaten on 38.

On a pitch with some moisture but no devils, CCC were quickly in trouble at 25 for two as Peters, a former West Indies Under-19 representative, claimed both openers to catches to the wicketkeeper.

The in-form Omar Phillips, the only CCC batsman with a half-century for the season, drove loosely while Kyle Corbin, in his first match of 2009, also nicked behind with dire consequences.

Sammy then helped derail the middle order as Simon Jackson (15), Romel Currency (2) and captain Floyd Reifer (12) departed to plunge the CCC to 56 for five on the stroke of lunch.

Jackson was the third of wicketkeeper Lyndon James’ four catches while Currency was run-out seeking a non-existent second to fine leg. Reifer, struck high, was adjudged lbw.

Parris and Walton breathed some life into the innings after the break before Shillingford removed both and the end came swiftly.

Parris, dropped in the gully by Donwell Hector off Peters when nine, eventually hit four fours off 117 balls before he prodded to the same fielder at short leg.

Wicketkeeper Walton, who hit four fours and a six, fell soon afterwards as he edged to slip. Left-hander Kevin McClean managed 18 but the lower order failed to rally.

McClean began brightly with the ball as he claimed Tyrone Theophile for a first-ball duck at five for one but Smith and Fletcher blunted the CCC in a stand of 75 for the second wicket.

Smith was mis-stumped by Walton off Kantasingh when eight but emerged to strike five fours and a six off 81 balls.

Fletcher, who hit three fours, perished four overs before the close when he popped a bat-pad catch to short leg off Kantasingh, who took one for 27.