"Froggie" Holder hits career-best 89 for Wanderers

Bridgetown, Barbados - For the first time this season, red-hot BCA Elite division championship leaders ICBL Empire were kept in the field all day but still managed to gain three of the maximum four bowling points.

CounterPoint Wanderers, inspired by a first-ever half-century in his 11th match and 20th innings at this level from diminutive opener Craig "Froggie" Holder, who made 89, reached 225 for nine off 75.1 overs at Dayrells Road after Empire lost the toss for the first time this season as well on the opening day of Series 7.

A wicket-keeper/batsman by nature, left-hander Holder, a product of Queen's College and Guardian General Barbados Youth, came into this match with only 64 runs from seven innings at an average of 9.14 even though he was in excellent form in the Intermediate division competition earlier in the season when he slammed back-to-back centuries (108 not out v Dewar's Diamondshire at Diamond Corner and 160 not out v Brathwaite Construction/Republic Bank St. Catherine at Bayfield) in the first two rounds.

In keeping Empire at bay, Holder occupied the crease for 275 minutes, faced 202 balls and struck 11 fours before he was eighth out with the score 206 in the 71st over.

Holder's previous highest score at this level was 32 (twice) in the first innings against Carlton at Lester Vaughan, Cane Garden, in 2011 and unbeaten in the second innings against Empire at Bank Hall the following season - both in losing causes.

He represented Barbados Youth in six top league matches - two each in consecutive seasons after making his debut in 2010.

Empire would have fancied their chances of dismissing Wanderers within the 75-over mark for gaining batting and bowling points after Holder was out, but off-spinner Gary Belle, in his first Elite division match of the season, scored an enterprising 33 off 34 balls with six fours before falling to the season's leading wicket-taker, left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, off the first ball of the 76th over, which turned out to be the last for the day.

Warrrican picked up four for 78 off 26.1 overs to move to 33 wickets.

Wanderers' total was also the highest by any team so far against Empire, who went into the series on 89 points - 38 more than joint second-placed and title holders CGI Maple and Massy Stores Spartan.

But Wanderers, back in the top league for the first time after three seasons following demotion, know that a further test awaits them in the field with an Empire batting line-up which shows six players with first-class experience in skipper Jamal Smith, Kevin Stoute, Ryan Hinds, Roston Chase, Alcindo Holder and 36-year-old Shawn Graham, who made his debut for Combined Schools South 22 years ago.

Maple are already in a strong position to wipe out beleaguered Guardian General Barbados Youth and even gain the maximum 20 points.

In easily their worst season since the promotion/relegation system was introduced in 2009 and from which they are exempt, Barbados Youth, with three defeats and a mere ten points going into this series, and with only two players who have represented them in every league match this year - opener Dario Belle and skipper and middle order batsman Zachary McCaskie - were bowled out for 83 in 46.3 overs at Cane Garden, reputed as one of the best batting surfaces in the island.

Then led by an unbeaten, boundary-studded 63 from Shane Parris, Maple closed on 141 for three off 26 overs.

Following an opening partnership of 51, Spartan must be disappointed in being dismissed for 171 in 56.3 overs by Sagicor Life UWI, who will resume on 30 for one.

Kyle Corbin, a former UWI captain, was forced to retire hurt on four after he was struck on the hand by fast bowler Jeremy Marshall, but he at least had the satisfaction of becoming the second batsman behind Kyle Hope, the ESA Field Pickwick skipper, to record 500 runs for the season after going into the match with 497.

In a lowly-placed clash at Wildey, LIME's relegation worries worsened after they amazingly declared at 47 for seven off 31 overs to limit Pickwick to only two bowling points.

But Pickwick put themselves in a good position to force a win by reaching 137 for nine off 44 overs at stumps despite a five-wicket haul from off-spinner Ashley Nurse, who leaves soon for India with the Barbados Tridents to take part in the Champions League Twenty20 tournament.

And at Bayfield in a mid-table battle with both teams going into the match on 47 points, Brathwaite Construction/Republic Bank St. Catherine were dismissed for 199 in 51 overs by BDFSP who will resume on 64 for two off 23 overs.

Patrick Browne, the former Barbados wicket-keeper/batsman, who also played five One-Day Internationals for West Indies, returned to form with an unbeaten 63 after mustering only 32 runs in his previous seven innings including two consecutive 'ducks'.

Off-spinner Kemar Jabari Smith, the younger brother of Barbados and West Indies player Dwayne Smith, recorded his third 'five-for' at this level - the other two were for Barbados Youth three years ago included eight for 72 against LIME at Wildey - in grabbing five for 49 off 16 overs as he continued to enjoy easily his best ever all-round season.

Smith now has 17 wickets, along with two unbeaten half-centuries including a career-best 71 in the previous series against Maple at Paragon.

At 3Ws Oval:

Spartan's inconsistent batting was again in evidence as they were bowled out for 171.

After losing the toss, Spartan reached 108 for six off 31 overs at tea following a first-wicket stand of 51 between captain Akeem Springer, who topscored with 35 and Rashidi Boucher (15).

They slipped to 121 for eight before fast bowler Jeremy Marshall, with an unbeaten 33 in his first match of the season, added 50 in 81 minutes with leg-spinner Aamir Thomas (15) for the ninth wicket.

Fast bowler Dawayne Sealy, who took three of the first six wickets, finished with four for 64 off 16 overs.

UWI scored 30 for one off seven overs, losing a struggling Anthony Alleyne for two to pacer Andre Gill.

At Bayfield:

St. Catherine must be kicking themselves for falling one run short of attaining two batting points.

At least they had the satisfaction of Patrick Browne getting some runs again. He made 42 and 52 not out in the opening series against LIME but then reached double-figures (18) only once in next seven innings.

Browne's topscore of 63 not out included five boundaries.

All-rounder Kenroy Williams made 41 to carry his aggregate for the season to 436 including two consecutive centuries before becoming one of off-spinner Kemar Smith's five scalps.

In BDFSP's 64 for two, left-handers Antonio Greenidge and the in-form Mario Rampersaud will resume on 36 and 21.

At Wildey:

While their intentions of not wanting Pickwick to earn full bowling points were clear, LIME's decision to declare at what is now the lowest first innings total of the season - 47 for seven - was still somewhat bizarre.

Kemar Brathwaite was the only batsman to reach double-figures with 11 at No. 5.

Seamer Zahir Motara took four for 23 off 13 overs and left-arm pacer Adeko Collymore, who shared the new ball, two for 14 off 11 overs.

Pickwick gained first innings lead with two wickets down before closing on 137 for nine.

Rohan Ryan made 26 and captain Kyle Hope 24 to carry his season-high aggregate to 577 from nine innings of which 471 came in his first four knocks including 161 not out off Barbados Youth and an unbeaten 217 against Maple.

Off-spinner Ashley Nurse, brought on as the fifth bowler, picked up five for 50 off 15 overs including the scalps of the Hope brothers, Kyle and Shai (eight) - both first-class players.

At Dayrells Road:

If ever they are able to field their strongest team, Wanderers would help lift the standard of play generally.

With the likes of Kraigg Brathwaite, Kirk Edwards and Jason Holder all in St. Vincent with the West Indies side for the first test against Bangladesh was another example of Wanderers not being at full strength.

Brathwaite made his presence felt in only two matches against UWI and St. Catherine, scoring 277 runs in three innings including a century for an average of 92.33, while neither Edwards nor Holder has played a league match for the season.

Also missing from this game is another player with first-class experience in all-rounder Raymon Reifer, who will be representing Barbados Tridents in the Champions League in India.

In addition, Reifer's brother, Chad Clarke-Reifer, the left-arm spinner who has 22 wickets including three five-wicket hauls this season, is injured.

Wanderers, however, can argue that they have done what no other team has been able to achieve this season against runaway leaders Empire - bat all day, face the most overs and score the highest total.

Their position of 225 for nine off 75.12 overs was laid around a third wicket stand of 76 between Craig Holder and Jonathan Drakes after fast medium bowler Tennyson Roach had removed Shayne Moseley and skipper Renaldo Arthur, both for six.

Drakes made 48 in 98 minutes off 67 balls with eight boundaries before falling to off-spinner Roston Chase.

Empire then hit back to reduce the home side to 177 for seven by the 66th over including the wicket of former Barbados captain and West Indies all-rounder Ian Bradshaw, who in his second match at this level for the season, fell to left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican for seven.

But they were held by a 29-run eighth-wicket partnership between Holder and Gary Belle, whose contribution was 23 and then Belle and Kemar Craigg put on 19 for the ninth wicket before Bell was bowled by left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican for 33.

Apart from Warrican's four for 78, Roach took two for 32 and Chase, two for 33.

At Lester Vaughan, Cane Garden:

A combination of pace and spin undermined Barbados Youth as Maple took command.

Sent in, Barbados Youth fell for 83. Deswin Currency topscored with 28 at No. 6.

Off-spinners Renaldo Parris, the captain, and Shane Ramsay each took three for ten and 17 respectively, while seamer Kirk Brome picked up two for 26.

Shane Parris, fresh from a century against BDFSP in the previous round, then slammed five fours and the same number of sixes in an unbeaten 63. He put on 103 for the third wicket with Renaldo Parris, who made 41 as Maple reached 141 for three at the close.

First Published On bcacricket.org.