Alick Athanaze and Tevyn Walcott both scored half-centuries but Akeem Jordan’s five-wicket haul restricted the Windward Islands Volcanoes to a first-innings score of 237 on the opening day of their fifth-round West Indies Championship match against Barbados Pride at Queens Park Oval on Thursday.

At stumps, Barbados were 48-0, trailing by 189 runs.

Athanaze, who has been in good form all season, scored 59 while rescuing the Volcanoes from a tenuous 17-3. He and Sunil Ambris added 47 for the fourth wicket. Ambris was trapped lbw by Roshon Primus for 28 after Windwards Islands Volcanoes recovered somewhat to 64-4.

Athanaze was to feature in another solid partnership, this time 98 with Walcott for the fifth wicket that added further stability to the score. However, Akeem Jordan who earlier picked up the wickets of openers Kimani Melius for a duck and Johann Jeremiah for 11, snapped up the wickets of Walcott for 55 and then Athanaze for 59 as the Windwards slipped to 164-6.

Primus made it 166-7 when he dismissed Larry Edward for one.

After Jordan dismissed Kenneth Dember for six and Jomel Warrican removed Sherman Lewis for nine, Ryan John and Preston McSween added 31 before Warrican ended John’s resolute innings for 41.

Jordan returned figures of 5-44 with Primus supporting with 2-44 and Warrican 2-57.

At the close, Barbados were 48-0 with Zachary McCaskie and Sheyne Moseley, the batsmen at the crease on 21 and 26, respectively.

The match between Windward Islands Volcanoes and Trinidad and Tobago Red Force is interestingly poised at the end of day two of their West Indies Championship match at St George’s on Wednesday.

At stumps, the Windwards batting a second time are 62-0, just 12 runs behind after Trinidad and Tobago scored 315 in their first innings in reply to the Volcanoes 243.

Tevyn Walcott top-scored with 87.

Trinidad and Tobago owed their first innings lead to late order 50s from Amir Jangoo, who top scored with 86, Tion Webster’s 79 and Terrance Hinds’ 52.

The trio managed to rescue their side from 82-5 in the 41^st over. However, Webster and Jangoo put on 138 for the sixth wicket, which was followed by a 78 run stand between Hinds and Jangoo, which established a lead.

Ryan John was the chief wicket-taker with the impressive figures of 5-18.

At stumps, Kimani Melius is unbeaten on 39 and Jerlani Robinson on 20.

Over at North Sound, Guyana Harpy Eagles were 205-5 at stumps on the opening day of their match against the Barbados Pride thanks to an unbeaten 70 from Matthew Nandu.

Akeem Jordan has so far taken 2-34 while Chiam Holder has snared 2-36.

Meanwhile, the Leeward Islands Hurricanes were in a spot of bother against Jamaica at Coolidge Cricket Ground. At stumps they were 163-6.

Jahmar Hamilton is the top scorer so far but the dangerous Rahkeem Cornwall is not out on 28 and Jeremiah Lewis, 17.

Abhijai Mansingh has taken 2-27 for the Scorpions.

Tevyn Walcott scored an unbeaten 87 while Bryan Charles and Terrance Hinds took four wickets each as the Windward Islands Volcanoes and the Trinidad & Tobago Red Force played out an even first day of the opening CWI 2023 West Indies Championship fixture at the St. George’s Stadium in Grenada.

The Red Force won the toss and chose to bowl first on a sunny first day. Their decision was rewarded early as Terrance Hinds removed former West Indies Under-19 Captain Kimani Melius for just four in the third over.

Hinds got his second victim just two overs later, removing Kavem Hodge caught behind for a duck.

Captain Alick Athanaze then joined Jerlani Robinson at the crease and the pair put on 28 runs before Robinson was dismissed by Tion Webster for a patient 14 off 40 balls.

This brought the experienced Sunil Ambris to the crease and he and Athanaze put on 54 for the fourth wicket before Athanaze was dismissed just after lunch for 40.

Barbadian all-rounder Justin Greaves was next in but went quickly for five to leave the Volcanoes reeling at 113-5, bringing Walcott to the middle to join Ambris.

Ambris, who has played six Tests and 16 ODIs for the West Indies, reached 55, his 15^th First-class fifty, before falling at the hands of Hinds to leave the Windwards 130-6.

Walcott and Ryan John then combined to fight off the Red Force bowling, putting on 98 for the seventh wicket before their resistance was ended when John was dismissed caught behind off the bowling of Bryan Charles for 36.

The score quickly became 229-8 when Charles dismissed Kenneth Dember for a duck, taking his 100^th First-class wicket.

Walcott provided some late hitting before Preston McSween and Darius Martin were both dismissed without troubling the scorers.

In the end, the Volcanoes were bowled out for 243 with Walcott finishing not out on 87, his third first-class fifty and highest score.

Bryan Charles led the way with the ball, taking 4-46 from 17.1 overs while Terrance Hinds took 4-72 off 13 overs.

With Red Force debutant Vikash Mohan unable to open due to injury, Khary Pierre joined regular opener Jeremy Solozano at the top of the order.

The move didn’t work as pacer Darius Martin dismissed Pierre for a duck in the second over.

Captain Darren Bravo and Solozano ensured that the Red Force went into the end of the day with no further wickets lost, ending 50-1 off 21 overs, trailing by 193 runs.

Scores: Windward Islands Volcanoes: 243 all out in 63.1 overs (Tevyn Walcott 87*, Sunil Ambris 55, Terrance Hinds 4-72, Bryan Charles 4-46) Trinidad & Tobago Red Force: 50-1 (Darren Bravo 32*, Jeremy Solozano 18*)