CAVE HILL, Barbados (CMC) – Windward Islands bowlers upstaged a half-century from Kyle Corbin to put their side in a favourable position over Combined Campuses & Colleges in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday. Garey Mathurin captured three wickets for 27 runs from 14 overs, Windwards captain Liam Sebastien took two for 43 from 22 overs, and Nelon Pascal grabbed two for 65 from 14 overs, as CCC, trailing by 43 runs on first innings, reached 216 for nine in their second innings at the close on the second day of their first round match at the Three Ws Oval.
Corbin led the way for CCC with 57 from 101 balls in a little more than 2¼ hours that included nine fours.
Raymon Reifer, son of former Barbados all-rounder Elvis Reifer and cousin of Floyd Reifer, supported with 44, Romel Currency, a former Windwards opener, scored 35, and T&T-born left-hander Kjorn Ottley made 28.
Windwards, replying to CCC first innings total of 131, were dismissed for 174 about 50 minutes after the start, with off-spinner Ryan Austin finishing with four for 69 from 21.4 overs, Nkrumah Bonner ending with two for 14 from five overs, and Kavesh Kantasingh two for 49 from 18 overs.
CCC suffered an early setback, when Omar Phillips was lbw to Kenroy Peters for seven, as they reached 48 for one at lunch. The home team captain was the first of six lbw dismissals in his side’s innings.
After the interval, CCC made a steady headway powered by a 66-run stand for the second wicket between Currency and Ottley, as the hosts reached 139 for three at tea.
But they were both dismissed inside the first hour after lunch, when Ottley was caught in the covers off Sebastien, and Currency was lbw to Mervyn Matthew to leave CCC on 100 for three.
After tea, Raymon Reifer and Corbin put on 80 for the fourth wicket either side of the break before two wickets fell for seven runs in 24 balls.
Corbin was lbw to Pascal about 40 minutes after tea, and 15 minutes later, Floyd Reifer was also lbw to Pascal for three to leave CCC 187 for five.
Nkrumah Bonner joined Raymon Reifer, and they spent almost an hour together to stem the fall of wickets before the CCC plunged into trouble, when they lost four wickets – three to Mathurin – for two runs in the space of 32 deliveries.
Earlier, Windwards continued from their overnight total of 145 for seven, and were setback early when Matthew was caught at slip off Kantasingh for a duck.
Keron Cottoy came to the crease and put on 29 for the ninth wicket before he was caught behind for seven off Austin, who snared Pascal three balls later for a duck.
CCC are seeking to avoid their third straight defeat on home soil against the Windwards.