Rain had the final say on day three of the third-round West Indies Championship clash between Windward Islands Volcanoes and Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) at Windsor Park on Friday, as the contest remained finely poised heading into the final day.

Despite a delayed start due to morning showers, the Volcanoes, resuming on 232-8, were eventually dismissed for 248, as they secured a slim but crucial 32-run first-innings lead. CCC reached 29 without loss in their second innings before another rain interruption forced an early close, leaving the match on a knife’s edge heading into Saturday’s final day.

Resuming with hopes of extending their advantage, the Volcanoes’ innings quickly unraveled. Darel Cyrus, on 13 overnight, managed just one more run before he was caught behind off Akeem Jordan. The dismissal left the hosts teetering at 236-9.

Kenneth Dember, who began the day on 40, fought valiantly to push the score along. However, his brave resistance ended heartbreakingly on 49 when a sharp piece of fielding from Jordan resulted in a run out, denying him what would have been a well-deserved half-century.

Darius Martin remained unbeaten on two.

Jordan was the standout performer with the ball for CCC, finishing with impressive figures of 5-52 to claim his first five-wicket haul of the tournament. Off-spinner Romario Greaves provided solid support with 3-64.

Trailing by 32 runs, CCC openers Kieran Powell and Damel Evelyn navigated a tricky mini-session under overcast skies to reach 29 without loss. Powell, composed on 16, and Evelyn, on 10, kept the Volcanoes attack at bay, inching their side to within three runs of erasing the deficit.

Just as the battle for supremacy was heating up, the rain returned, forcing officials to call an early halt to proceedings.