POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad, CMC:
SPINNERS MUKESH Persad and Dave Mohamed shared five wickets and reinforced Trinidad and Tobago's already strong position against West Indies B on the second day of their 2002 Busta Cup second-round match at Guaracara Park yesterday. West Indies B, responding to Trinidad and Tobago's first innings score of 455 for eight declared, closed at 159 for five with opener Krishna Arjune not out on 72 and Carlton Baugh Jnr on 10.
After enterprising late order batting pushed the home side to their formidable total, Persad grabbed three wickets and Mohamed two to tighten their grip on the game, while Arjune battled on with his fighting unbeaten half century.
Trinidad and Tobago, 352 for five declared overnight, added 103 for the loss of three wickets in the morning session and declared at lunch time.
Hard-hitting Lincoln Roberts added just one to his overnight score before he was caught behind by substitute wicketkeeper Patrick Browne off Kittitian medium pacer Elsroy Powell for 146.
In Antigua, four-time regional champions Leeward Islands endured a batting slump but kept the advantage against Bangladesh A at the Airport Cricket Ground.
The Leewards secured a 23-run first innings lead although they slipped to a disappointing 199 all out in reply to 176 all out, and at stumps, Bangladesh A were struggling on 84 for four in their second innings - only 61 runs ahead - after two late wickets for seamer Wilden Cornwall.
The Leeward Islands, responding to 176 all out, used the morning session to cruise closer to the first innings advantage and were just 23 runs off the mark at the break.
The attacking Runako Morton and Alex Adams engaged in an entertaining 121-run second wicket stand that moved the score along steadily from the overnight position of 71 for one.
Morton appeared poised for another century - he scored 104 against Trinidad and Tobago last weekend - but on 67, he edged off-spinner Naimur Rahman to Ehsanul Hoque at first slip. Morton struck 10 fours and one six in a 108-ball knock.
In Barbados, former West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Courtney Browne scored a majestic fourth first-class hundred but a splendid five-wicket haul from pacer Fernix Thomas gave the Windward Islands first innings advantage over Barbados at the Kensington Oval.
Barbados, bolstered by a record eighth-wicket partnership between Browne (161) and Sulieman Benn (77), scored 309 all out in response to 327, and the Windwards - 18 runs ahead on first innings - closed on a solid 60 without loss.
Thomas bagged an inspiring 5-65 for the Windwards, who will resume on day three with first innings centurymaker Devon Smith on 29 and Rommel Currency on 26.
