Callender, Nurse grab 5-fors, Jonathan Drakes 99 not out on rain-hit first day of Elite division

Bridgetown, Barbados, August 20 – (www.barbadoscricket.org) – Two off-spin bowlers snatched five-wicket hauls and one batter was left high and dry on 99 on a rain-hit opening day of Series 1 matches in the BCA Elite division Championship today.

Javere Callender of St. Catherine took five for 10 off seven overs against Wanderers who were bowled out for 207 off 50.3 overs after winning the toss at Bayfield.

Jonathan Drakes scored 99 not out off 102 balls in 176 minutes with seven fours and five sixes at No. 3.

Skipper Drakes and Romario Brathwaite, who made 46 off 54 balls including six fours and one six, added 94 in just 62 minutes for the fifth wicket before Callender triggered a collapse by having Brathwaite stumped by Zidane Harewood after he was brought on as the last of seven bowlers.

In his next over, Callender snatched four wickets off the first, second, fourth and last balls to leave the score 168 for nine.

Drakes and Jair McAllister then added 39 in 18 minutes off 6.3 overs before McAllister was caught at mid-off off Shayon Blenman for two.

Ulric Batson took two for 31 and fellow pacer Dashawn

Thompson-Norville, two for 57.

St. Catherine closed on 40 for two off 10 overs with new ball bowler Samuel Quallis picking up both wickets for 16 runs.

The previous occasion the teams clashed was also at Bayfield in 2019 in the opening round – there was no competition the following two years because of the Covid pandemic – and Drakes scored a century (110) in the first innings in a winning cause.

BWU Gladiola captain Ashley Nurse snatched five for 49 off 17.1 overs as defending championship Fusionz Boutique Spartan were bowled out for 196 off 61.1 overs at Rices.

Fast bowler Miguel Cummins took two for 15 off 10 overs.

Rico Webb topscored with 33.

Gladiola were 17 for one at stumps.

Rain in the west of the island had a severe effect on the other three matches.

Only 13.3 overs were possible at the Harrison College ground, Crumpton Street, as SigniaGlobe Financial Barbados Youth reached 26 for one against Wildey.

And not a ball was bowled at Desmond Haynes Oval between Carlton and Bayview Hospital YMPC, and at the neighbouring 3Ws Oval for the match featuring Sagicor Life UWI and Empire.