Three sparkling centuries as batters find their feet

Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Gudakesh Motie struck brilliant hundreds to punish leaders Barbados Pride, while Brandon King added one of his own for Jamaica Scorpions to put them in command against Windward Islands Volcanoes on the second day of the third round of matches in the West Indies Championship, on Thursday.

Photo credit: CricNation592

Starting the day on 64, the left-hander Chanderpaul finished on 140 not out as Harpy Eagles piled up a massive 490-7 declared in their first innings at Queen’s Park Oval. Motie, more known for his steady left-arm spin, then arrived at Number 9 to showcase his prowess with a sizzling 110 from 118 balls, in a 143-run seventh wicket partnership with the determined Chanderpaul.

Scoreboard: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/211469/#scorecard

In reply, Barbados lost captain Kraigg Brathwaite (17) and Shamarh Brooks (2) cheaply to slip to 48-2 , trailing by 442 runs heading into Friday’s third day.

At the Brian Lara Cricket Academy: King played a number of breathtaking strokes both sides of the wicket in an impressive unbeaten 119 – his third first-class century. It propelled Scorpions to 346 all out in their first innings. Jamie Merchant, batting at Number 10, made a robust 58 from 73 balls in an up tempo 109-run, ninth wicket stand to further deflate Volcanoes, who then reached 101-3 in their second innings at the close – still behind by 108 runs.

Scoreboard: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/211471/#scorecard

King showed his princely presence and hit 22 fours off 154 balls in nearly 3-½ hours at the crease while Merchant hit six fours and three sixes in a career-best knock. Left arm seamer Preston McSween (4-96) and pacer Josh Thomas (3-56) spearheaded the Volcanoes attack. Trailing by 209 runs, Volcanoes got 34 from veteran opener Devon Smith and an unbeaten 30 from captain Kavem Hodge, to erase some of the deficit.

At Diego Martin Complex: Joshua Da Silva found himself among the runs, top-scoring with 65 but it was not enough to prevent hosts Trinidad & Tobago Red Force from conceding a significant first innings lead of 217 runs to Leeward Islands Hurricanes. With the visitors eventually dismissed for 357, Red Force crashed to 140 all out, and were behind by 240 runs overall at the close, with Hurricanes on 23 without loss in their second innings.

Scoreboard: https://www.windiescricket.com/matches/211470/#scorecard

Hurricanes were put in total command by Jeremiah Louis who first slammed 42 not out from 43 balls to energise the lower order after the visitors resumed on 308-7. He then produced a deadly new ball burst to send Red Force tumbling to 10-4, going on to finish with figures of 4-32 while Colin Archibald claimed 4- for 27. With his lovely left-arm quick bowling.

Da Silva struck 11 fours in a 115-ball knock, posting 64 for the seventh wicket with Bryan Charles (25) to prop up the innings.Jayden Seales continued to very impressive with finished with 5-49 in the Hurricanes first innings – his first five-for for the Red Force.