BRIDGETOWN, Barbados  (CMC) – Wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dowrich narrowly missed his maiden first-class century when he stroked a career-best, unbeaten 95 as Barbados took command of their sixth round Regional first-class match against the Leeward Islands at Kensington Oval here yesterday. Batting at No.7, the 20-year-old Young West Indies player featured in two vital half-century partnerships to propel Barbados to 317 all out, after they resumed the second day on 134 for five.
After grabbing a first-innings lead of 179, Barbados had the Leewards struggling on 121 for five in their second innings at the close – still 58 runs in arrears with five wickets standing.
Opener Austin Richards has so far top-scored with 51 before he became the first of three wickets for out-of-favour West Indies left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn.
At stumps, wicketkeeper Devon Thomas was unbeaten on 26 with fellow Antiguan Hayden Walsh Jr on 14.
Resuming the day with Hope on 26 and Dowrich, six, Barbados soon picked up first-innings points and eventually consolidated.
Both Hope and Dowrich played confidently and the 23-year-old Hope, in his first match of the season, went on to achieve his maiden first-class fifty in his seventh match. The pair added 66 in 24.4 overs before Hope was caught at slip by Williams from a drive off leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr for 63.
Hope batted for 188 minutes, faced 165 balls and struck six boundaries.
Off-spinner Justin Athanaze then accounted for Jordan, who was caught at short mid-on by Richards for five.
By lunch, Barbados had moved to 241 for seven off 74 overs with Dowrich on 50 and Carlos Brathwaite 19.
Dowrich reached his half-century in 135 minutes off 108 balls with four fours.
With good, sensible batting and some aggressive stroke-play, Dowrich and Brathwaite put on 75 in 85 minutes before Brathwaite was caught at deep midwicket by Gavin Tonge off Athanaze for 42, which came off 68 balls and contained four boundaries.
Benn quickly followed for two, driving a catch to short mid-on off leg-spinner Anthony Martin.
Jomel Warrican stuck around for almost half-an-hour as Dowrich eased towards what would have been a well-deserved century in his 14th first-class match before Tonge had Warrican caught at first slip for five off the second delivery with the second new ball.
Dowrich, in his 14th first-class match, was at the crease for 234 minutes, faced 189 balls and hit ten boundaries.
Tonge took three for 35 off 13.2 overs and Martin, three for 78 off 26 overs.
Six-footer Benn, operating from the Malcolm Marshall end at the south, then took three for 22 off nine overs as Leewards struggled in their second turn at the crease. He broke a third-wicket stand of 42 between Richards and skipper Gavin Williams by having left-hander Richards leg-before-wicket on the back-foot.
Richards batted for 97 minutes, faced 69 balls and struck nine boundaries.
Williams, who had played defiantly, fell 19 runs later, caught on the second attempt at gully by Dwayne Smith off Benn for nine which came in 71 minutes as he essayed a drive.
Jason Peters was caught at silly point by Kyle Hope off Benn’s next ball for nought.
Javia Liburd was the first to be dismissed, caught at fine-leg by Jomel Warrican from a hook off fast-medium Carlos Brathwaite for three in the second over of the innings.
The other wicket to fall was that of Montcin Hodge (five), who edged pacer Christopher Jordan to captain Shamarh Brooks at second slip.