… Rain stalls Hurricanes again

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) – Barbados Pride retained their Regional First Class title on a humdrum final day yesterday, after two straight days of rain zapped all interest out of the final round of matches.

With play finally possible at Diego Martin Complex for the first time since Wednesday’s opening day, Test captain Kraigg Brathwaite struck 109 as Pride overhauled Windward Islands Volcanoes’ first innings of 203, finishing on 285 for six before rain returned to end play at tea.

Left-hander Raymon Reifer made 71 and Roston Chase, 59, Pride pushing on strongly after resuming the morning on 109 for one.
Starting on 39, the right-handed Brathwaite struck 14 fours off 219 deliveries in just shy of 5-¼ hours as he stretched his second stand with Reifer to 116.

Reifer, resuming on 56, counted a dozen fours off 88 balls in 128 minutes.
Brathwaite put on a further 39 for the third wicket with Jonathan Carter (21) before adding 95 for the fourth with Chase who faced 110 deliveries in a shade over 2-¼ hours and struck seven fours.

Pride’s main rivals Leeward Islands Hurricanes, who entered the final round less than two points behind in second, watched in frustration as the final day of their contest against Jamaica Scorpions was abandoned early without a ball bowled at Brian Lara Stadium.

Since Scorpions were dismissed on the first day, only three overs were possible in the game, dashing Hurricanes’ hopes of chasing down Pride.

In the other game at Queen’s Park Oval, half-centuries from Tevin Imlach (76) and Kevin Sinclair (58) fired Guyana Harpy Eagles to 331 after they resumed the morning on 30 without loss in the first innings, overhauling Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s 218.Imlach, 25, punched eight fours and a six off 172 deliveries, stretching his opening stand with Tagenarine Chanderpaul (25) to 72, before adding 33 for the third with Vishaul Singh (19) and 64 for the sixth wicket with Sinclair who played merrily to strike seven fours and two sixes off 75 balls.

Veerasammy Permaul joined in the fun, lashing half-dozen fours and a six in a breezy 65-ball 47 while posting 59 for the eighth wicket with Gudakesh Motie (37) and 54 for the ninth with Nial Smith (21 not out).
Batting a second time, Red Force reached 25 for one.