TRINIDAD and Tobago Red Force will need one or two solid partnerships today to stay alive and set Barbados Pride a competitive total to chase in their second innings of the West Indies Four-Day Championships round five clash at the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair.
Red Force were 100/3 in their second innings yesterday at the end of day two, still trailing Pride by seven runs.
At the crease for Red Force are Amir Jangoo on 30 and captain Joshua Da Silva on 17.
It is already a stronger performance from the Red Force batsmen as in the first innings they were seven wickets down with just 100 runs on the board. Red Force were dismissed for 172 in the first innings.
Red Force may be positive heading into day three as the not out batsmen Jangoo and Da Silva have shown form this campaign. Jangoo struck an unbeaten 93 in the first innings and Da Silva struck a half-century under pressure in the last round against Windward Islands Volcanoes.
Red Force lost Vikash Mohan cheaply again, as he was trapped on the back foot leg before for four to pacer Jason Holder.
Red Force avoided any further loss and were 9/1 at tea with Jangoo and Kjorn Ottley at the crease.
Ottley broke the shackles with a pull shot for four, followed by another pull shot for six off pacer Jair McAllister.
Medium pacer Shaquille Cumberbatch was greeted with a six over mid-wicket by Ottley, followed by a four through covers as the left-hander quickly moved to 27.
It did not matter who bowled at him, Ottley was ready to attack. He swept left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican for six in his first over as the partnership started to blossom.
Cumberbatch struggled to bowl a consistent line as many deliveries were way past the off stump.
Ottley did the bulk of the scoring as Jangoo crawled to seven off 33 balls.
A moment of brilliance from Zachary McCaskie gave Pride the breakthrough. Fielding at silly mid-on, McCaskie took a sharp catch to dismiss Ottley for 39 off 59 balls (two fours, three sixes).
Red Force were again in need of a partnership as they were 54/2, still trailing by 53 runs.
After surviving a confident leg before shout, Jason Mohammed chopped a delivery from Warrican onto his stumps. The wicket had inconsistent pace which led to balls keeping lower than expected. That seemed to contribute to the dismissal of Mohammed.
Da Silva and Jangoo guided Red Force safely to the close of play.
Earlier in the day, Pride posted 279 in their first innings after resuming the day on 99/4.
The Pride batsmen scored at a healthy strike rate and partnerships throughout the second half of the innings ensured a 107-run lead.
Pride had a dominant opening session, adding 110 runs to the total for the fall of just one wicket.
The only blemish for Pride was the loss of Kevin Wickham, leg before to off-spinner Bryan Charles for 34.
Barbados went to lunch on 209/5 with Holder racing to 28 and Jonathan Drakes on 51.
Holder continued where he left off in the first session with positive stroke play. However, he did not last long in the second se
