Things are finely poised at the Darren Sammy Stadium as the Windward Islands Volcanoes and Barbados Pride head into a mouth-watering final day of their sixth-round West Indies Championship encounter, with honours evenly shared after an absorbing third day of cricket in St Lucia on Friday.
Set a challenging 305-run target, Barbados Pride closed on 144-3, still 161 runs away from victory, but with seven wickets in hand and an intriguing battle looming on Saturday. Shayne Moseley, a picture of patience and poise, will resume on 66 not out, partnered by the aggressive Kyle Mayers, unbeaten on 34, in what is shaping up to be a potentially match-defining stand.
Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes 186 & 316; Barbados Pride 198 & 144-3
The Volcanoes began day three with an overnight score of 203-4, with sights set on a target that could keep their hopes of an outright victory alive. Resuming batsmen Kavem Hodge and Shadrack Descarte picked up right where they left off, as they calmly extended their fifth-wicket stand to a round 100 and inched their side towards control.
Descarte, who resumed the day on 20, played a measured innings and brought up a crucial half-century but later fell to Ramon Simmonds for 50 off 87 balls, his knock featuring just three boundaries and a solitary six. Hodge, meanwhile, looked destined for a well-deserved century until heartbreak struck—run out on 99, just one shy of the mark, attempting a single off a Matthew Forde return that left him agonisingly short of his ground. His marathon knock spanned 212 deliveries and included nine fours.
From there, the Volcanoes innings faltered. At 262-6, they added only 54 more runs as Barbados bowlers closed in. Simmonds finished with 4-47, adding the scalps of Noelle Leo (20) and Ryan John (14), while Jair McAllister chipped in with 2-35, as he claimed Kenneth Dember (12) and Keon Gaston (one).
With the chase set at 305, Barbados Pride’s hopes were dented early when captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell cheaply for just two, continuing a lean patch of form. But Moseley and Jonathan Drakes responded with a vital 84-run second-wicket stand, one built on composure and solid technique. Drakes, playing the anchor role, made 35 from 86 balls before he was caught by Hodge off Gaston, who has been the Volcanoes’ go-to man with the ball this round.
The innings wobbled again when Kevin Wickham was dismissed for just four, and the Pride were left at 93-3. But Mayers came in with attacking intent, and alongside the steadfast Moseley, the pair put on an unbeaten 51-run stand to shift momentum slightly back in Pride’s favour.
Moseley, who has batted for 138 balls so far, stroked eight fours and a six, while Mayers’ five boundaries from just 36 balls have hinted at the explosive potential still to come on day four.