Pride’s two Ws wrest advantage from Scorpions

After three days of compelling back-and-forth action in the West Indies Championship at Chedwin Park, the visiting Barbados Pride carved out a slight advantage over the Jamaica Scorpions, thanks largely to two Ws — Jomel Warrican and Kevin Wickham.

Chasing the game after the Scorpions posted 342 in their first innings, just six runs shy of Barbados’ first-innings total of 348, the Pride reached 255 for 5 in their second trip to the crease, stretching their overall lead to 261 runs with today’s final day to play.

At the heart of the second-innings resistance was the prodigious Kevin Wickham. After smashing a magnificent 153 in the first innings, Wickham remained unbeaten on 81, his innings laced with six fours and two sixes.

Keeping him company once again was Shamar Springer, steady on 37, the pair having added an unbroken 87 runs for the sixth wicket.

Earlier, Pride openers Kraigg Brathwaite (44) and Shayne Moseley (65) laid a solid platform with a 98-run partnership.

But the Scorpions fought back through Abhijai Mansingh, who snared two wickets, and Peat Salmon, who also chipped in with two scalps, triggering a mini-collapse, before Wickham and Springer steadied the ship.

Earlier, the Jamaicans, who resumed on 275 for 6, had ambitions of overhauling Barbados’ 348.

Peat Salmon (45) and Romaine Morris (42) looked dangerous. Salmon launched a six off Warrican but the very next ball attempted the same shot and holed out to a skier, which wicketkeeper Leniko Boucher gladly accepted.

Thirteen runs later, Morris, just eight runs short of a half-century, fell in the deep off Warrican, leaving Jamaica reeling at 297 for 8.

Enter Odean Smith. The powerful all-rounder smashed an unbeaten 49 off just 38 balls, giving the Scorpions a glimmer of hope for first-innings honours.

But Smith trusted last man Ojay Shields with too many deliveries and the lower-order batter could not resist a looping off-break from Kyle Mayers and was caught in the deep for a duck, to the dismay of the Jamaican supporters.

Smith and Shields had added a spirited 42 for the final wicket, but it was not enough.

Warrican finished with miserly figures of 5 for 71, while Mayers bagged 2 for 17.

With today’s final day remaining, Barbados hold a 261-run lead and have five wickets in hand, with Wickham and Springer looking increasingly comfortable.

The Scorpions will need early breakthroughs on day four to prevent the Pride from setting a daunting target.