Dominic Drakes and Veerasammy Permaul each took three wickets as Weekes’ XI bowled Headley XI out for 177 on Wednesday’s opening day of the final match in the Headley Weekes Tri-Series at Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua.

However, Headley XI’s bowlers have struck back having Weekes XI at 61-3 at stumps still trailing by 116 runs.

Drakes dismissed three of the five top order batsmen as Headley XI got off to a terrible start and were reduced to 74-6. Only opener Kieran Powell with 23 managed to get into double figures.

Kavem Hodge and Ackeem Jordan held the Weekes’ bowlers at bay with a partnership of 71 but then Jordan became Permaul’s 600^th first-class wicket when he was caught behind for 37. Kevin Sinclair soon after ended Hodge’s vigil for 67 and Permaul cleaned up the tail dismissing Chaim-Alexis Holder and Marquino Mindley for three and seven, respectively.

Drakes ended with figures of 3-17 while Permaul took 3-18.

In reply, Weekes’ XI lost Zachary McCaskie to Marquino Mindley for two but Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Raymon Reifer added 48 for the second wicket before Holder struck, dismissing Chanderpaul for 12 and 11 runs later, got Reifer for 34 as Weekes XI slipped to 61-3.

Holder has so far taken 2-2 while Mindley has 1-17.