ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC – Kevin Stoute hit a half-century and tried to set up a dramatic finish before the weather disrupted a match that promised much for the final time, forcing Barbados Pride to settle for a draw with Windward Islands Volcanoes in the WICB Regional 4-Day Tournament on Monday.
Stoute struck four boundaries in an even, unbeaten 50 from 63 balls in around 1 ½ hours of batting before the Pride declared on 200 for eight in their first innings which was badly disrupted by the weather over the first three days of this fifth round match at Windsor Park, in a bid to gain a few valuable bowling points.
Hometown boy Tyrone Theophile, not out on 27, and veteran left-hander Devon Smith, not out on 11, defied the Barbadians for 11 overs in close to an hour after the rescheduled tea break to reach 42 without loss before the weather interrupted once more, bringing the match to an anti-climatic conclusion.
The result meant that the Volcanoes earned 6.4 points from the contest, moving to fourth in the standings on 41.6 points, and the Pride collected just four points, keeping them in third on 47.2 points, a long way behind front-running Jamaica Scorpions and Guyana Jaguars, winners in this round of matches.
The Volcanoes and Pride – like the rest of the teams around the League – will endure the long break in the Tournament for the Christmas and New Year’s holidays, plus the Regional Super50 Tournament before picking things back up in March next year.
The start on the final day was delayed, following more rain in the Dominica capital overnight and into the early morning hours, but the weather and ground conditions changed so dramatically when umpires Joel Wilson and Jonathan Blades inspected about an hour after the regularly scheduled start that it heightened the prospects of play.
When play started four hours later than regularly scheduled, the Pride, resuming from their overnight total of 137 for six, seemed willing to choose discretion, rather than adventure as the best part of valour.
But the wickets of left-hander Jonathan Carter, caught behind off Kenroy Peters for 22, and Kenroy Williams, caught at third slip off Mervin Matthew for one, seemed to prompt a change in tactics from Stoute, whose 50 arrived from 63 balls, when he flicked Kyle Mayers to mid-wicket for a single.
Kemar Roach chipped a delivery the same bowler into the vacant deep mid-off region next ball to take the visitors to the 200-run threshold, prompting the declaration.
Matthew was the pick of the Windwards bowlers with 4-52 from 18 overs and Peters took 2-42 from 11 overs.
Tea was immediately taken and, try as they may, the Pride opening attack of Roach and Stoute failed to make the breakthrough in a dash for a couple of bowling points to ease the deficit.
Theophile and Smith held firm in between a few lusty blows to ensure there was no drama before the close.
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Scores:
PRIDE 200 for eight declared (Kevin Stoute 50 not out, Shai Hope 43, Roston Chase 35, Omar Phillips 28, Jonathan Carter 22; Mervin Matthew 4-52, Kenroy Peters 2-42)
VOLCANOES 42 without loss (Tyrone Theophile 27 not out)
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PRIDE 1st Innings (overnight 137 for six)
O. Phillips c Theophile b Peters 28
A. Alleyne b Matthew 0
S. Hope c wkpr Ambris b Matthew 43
S. Brooks c Charles b Sebastien 1
R. Chase c Smith b Matthew 35
+S. Dowrich c Sebastien b Mayers 1
J. Carter c wkpr Ambris b Peters 22
*K. Stoute not out 50
K. Williams c Mayers b Matthew 1
K. Roach not out 6
Extras (b6, lb3, nb4) 13
TOTAL (8 wkts decl’d, 63.4 overs) 200
J. Warrican did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-44, 3-45, 4-109, 5-118, 6-118, 7-154, 8-163
Bowling: Matthew 18-6-52-4; Mayers 16.4-6-39-1; Peters 11-1-42-2 (nb2); Sebastien 14-1-38-1; Alexander 4-0-20-0 (nb2)
VOLCANOES 1st Innings
D. Smith not out 14
T. Theophile not out 27
Extras (nb1) 1
TOTAL (without loss, 11 overs) 42
J. Charles, R. Cato, T. Gabriel, +S. Ambris, *L. Sebastien, K. Mayers, A. Alexander, M. Matthew, K. Peters did not bat
Bowling: Roach 5-1-16-0 (nb1); Stoute 5-0-22-0; Carter 1-0-4-0
Result: Match drawn
Points: Volcanoes 6.4, Pride 4
Player-of-the-Match: None awarded
Umpires: J. Wilson, J. Blades
Match referee: C. Felix
Reserve umpire: E. Degallerie