Wallace's 137 Leads B'dos to 1st Innings

Veteran opening batsman Philo Wallace smashed his 12th first-class hundred and shared in a crucial fifth-wicket century partnership with captain Courtney Browne, as Barbados gained first innings lead over Trinidad & Tobago on the second day of the Carib Beer International Shield semifinal at Kensington Oval.

By the close, Barbados who are seeking a double title after winning the Carib Beer Cup with a match to spare, were 288 for seven, in reply to Trinidad & Tobago's 258 all out, after they had resumed on 250 for nine. At the crease are Vasbert Drakes on 11 and Pedro Collins, one.

The 32-year-old Wallace, who was missed on ten and 107, made 137 - his ninth regional first-class hundred and second of the season. He was at the crease for 322 minutes, faced 211 balls and struck 14 fours and five sixes.

His other century this season was 140, also against Trinidad & Tobago at the same venue.

Wallace and Browne, who made 67, added 115. When the partnership was ended with the dismissal of Wallace, caught at short extra-cover slapping a long hop from off-spinner Rodney Sooklal, Barbados were within three runs of overhauling the Trinidad and Tobago score.

This was soon achieved as Ryan Hurley lifted the same bowler to the long-off boundary.

Sooklal has four for 82 and West Indies pacer Mervyn Dillon, three for 67.

Earlier, 24-year-old fast bowler Corey Collymore took the final Trinidad & Tobago wicket - that of Sooklal, who was caught at gully - to end with the best figures of five for 65 off 19.1 overs, as he moved to within five wickets of attaining 100 in what is his 29th first-class match.

Barbados suffered an early setback, as the experienced Sherwin Campbell, who scored a century when the teams met at the same venue this season in the fifth round of the Cup, fell to Dillon for seven.

Driving outside the off stump without moving his feet, he got an edge and wicketkeeper Lendl Simmons completed a regulation catch.

Wallace was aggressive from the very first over of the innings, flicking Dillon through midwicket and lifting over long on for two boundaries.

His first chance was to Marlon Black at knee height off his own bowling, as the batsman drove through the line, shortly before Campbell's dismissal.

Wallace also took two more boundaries off Dillon, picking out midwicket and extra-cover, before pulling Black through forward square for another four.

At lunch the score was 64 for one off 19 overs, with Wallace on 40 which included seven fours and a six from a pull over square-leg off Black, and Ryan Hinds, 15.

Wallace sustained his aggression after the interval, but lost left-handers Hinds (16) and Floyd Reifer (two) in quick succession, as both failed driving tests against Dillon.

This time operating from the Malcolm Marshall (southern) end, Dillon opted to switch his line around the wicket, which accounted for both batsman, who like Campbell, drove with flat feet at balls outside the off stump, got nicks and were gobbled up by Simmons.

Wallace and Dwayne Smith repaired the damage by counter-attacking against Sooklal.

The pair added 55 before Smith (16) lifted Sooklal into the hands of deep forward square-leg.

Wallace moved to 97 by swinging Sooklal over square-leg for six onto the roof of Kensington Stand, as the ball bounced out of the ground. Two balls later he brought up his century by lifting Sooklal for another six, this time over long on and again out of the ground.

His hundred came in 187 minutes off 131 balls and included 11 fours and five sixes.

Wallace's second chance was to point where the ball was skied off Black in his second spell. Dave Mohammed, fielding in that position, turned, ran back and turned again as he settled under the ball, but amazingly dropped it, much to the disappointment of himself and his team-mates.

At tea, Barbados were 176 for four off 47 overs with Wallace on 112 and Browne, seven.

Wallace virtually went into a shell after the break as Browne attacked, tearing into left-arm spinner Mohammed with three boundaries in one over by way of overhead, long on and extra-cover as he raced into the 40s.

When 124, Wallace ducked into a Dillon bouncer and was hit on the back of the helmet with the score 233 for four.

The next ball was again dug in and forced the batsman to fend to forward short-leg, before Wallace clobbered him to the midwicket boundary - only his second in the post tea session and with a gap of 44 deliveries as Browne was dominating.

The century partnership soon came up in 31.5 overs, with Wallace on 129 and Browne 53.

Soon after Wallace's dismissal, Hurley was bowled by a sharply turning delivery from Sooklal, who also removed Browne, caught and bowled from a drive.

*From Guyana Chronicle.