Barbados Pride Pile On 346-5 Against Scorpions On Day One At Sabina Park

Barbados Pride tightened their grip on Jamaica Scorpions at Sabina Park on Sunday, finishing the opening day of the third round of West Indies Championship fixtures on a healthy 346 for five after captain Kraigg Brathwaite called correctly at the toss and elected to bat first on a benign surface.

While the visitors ground out their runs through patient half-centuries and a late flurry, the home side were left to rue a string of fielding errors that took the gloss off an otherwise spirited bowling effort.

Brathwaite and Shayne Moseley negotiated the morning's first hour to take Pride to 39 without loss at the first drinks break, weathering an impressive new-ball burst from debutant left-armer Khari Campbell. The Melbourne CC quick looked anything but a rookie, repeatedly squaring up the openers and conjuring two opportunities the Scorpions failed to grasp.

Brandon King could not cling on to a low diving chance at cover when Moseley had 10, and Abhijai Mansingh later spilled a steepling hook from Brathwaite at deep fine leg. Both reprieves would prove costly.

Moseley and Brathwaite did add 50 together before the opener was run out for 23, beaten by a direct hit from Marquino Mindley at mid-off when well short of the crease. Pride went to lunch on 84 for one, with Brathwaite on 33 and Jonathan Drakes already settled on 16.

The afternoon session was wholly the visitors'. Brathwaite, ever methodical, ground his way to a half-century off 107 deliveries on a sluggish pitch, while Drakes raced to his own fifty from just 65 balls, finding the rope through punchy drives and pulls. Their second-wicket alliance was worth 145 by the time Brathwaite, on 74, edged Odean Smith to John Campbell at slip after facing 164 balls and striking seven fours.

With Barbados at 200 for two, the innings briefly lost its momentum after the drinks interval. Kevin Wickham, who had stroked a hundred in the previous round, popped a return catch back to Brad Barnes for five, leaving the score at 207 for three.

Drakes then unravelled in the day's most theatrical sequence. Cruising on 94 after 12 fours and a six, he danced down the track at Barnes and was smartly stumped by Romaine Morris, denied a maiden first-class century by inches.

More drama followed as Khari Campbell, in his third spell and still chasing his first senior scalp, trapped Kyle Mayers leg before for one to record a maiden wicket. At 215 for five, Pride were teetering.

It was Roston Chase, in familiar rescue mode, who hauled Barbados back into command. The senior batter attacked from the outset, motoring to a 46-ball fifty, while wicketkeeper Leniko Boucher held up the other end. The pair carried Pride past 300 inside 80 overs and remained unseparated at stumps, having added 92 for the sixth wicket. Chase finished on 82 with 12 fours and a six, while Boucher was on 40, having struck three fours and a six.

Barnes was the pick of the Jamaica attack with figures of three for 56, but the all-rounder conceded the home bowlers had been too generous.

"I am satisfied with how I bowled, but the wicket is a batting-friendly one, and I thought we allowed Barbados to score a bit too freely. We need to be a lot tighter to create more chances and pick up the remaining wickets," he said.

Drakes, meanwhile, felt the visitors were nicely placed heading into day two.

"We are in a pretty strong position. I fell short at 94, but from a team perspective, I am happy with where we are. We tried to put them under pressure and try to be positive, and hopefully we can continue on day two," he said.