Date-stamped : 23 Feb1998 - 22:27 20-23 Feb1998 Windward Island v Barbados Report from the Nation Day 2: STRONG REPLY by Haydn Gill in GRENADA AMIDST the distraction of a cacophony of sounds continuously blaring around the ground, Barbados mounted a splendid bid for first innings lead in their important PresidentÕs Cup cricket match against the Windward Islands here yesterday. Philo Wallace, showing the discipline that brought him a century in the previous match, and Adrian Griffith, in easily his finest knock of the season, put Barbados on course for a substantial lead with a solid century partnership on another hot, steamy day at the Tanteen Recreation Ground. Well placed By the close, Barbados, replying to the WindwardsÕ 319, had reached 224 for three, a position from where they are well placed to dictate the pace of the match on todayÕs third day. Skipper Wallace fell 13 short of his hundred an hour before the close. The left-handed Griffith stayed until stumps were drawn and resumes this morning on 79. The final score may indicate dominance by the batting team but it was tight, gripping stuff for part of the day, especially against experienced left-arm spinner Roy Marshall, new West Indies fast bowler Nixon McLean and fellow pacer Caspar Davis. Davis and about 2 000 ecstatic Grenadians believed Wallace was lbw in the second over of the innings when he shouldered arms to his first ball. WallaceÕs response was typically forthright and he launched into a massive drive that sailed over the bowlerÕs head and over the long-on boundary for six. The Tanteen ground, hosting only its second first-class match, has a lightning fast outfield and once a batsman can get past the infield, he is almost guaranteed a boundary. As a result, Windwards skipper Junior Murray stationed a long-off even when Wallace was in strike against the fast bowlers. WallaceÕs 87 off 220 balls in just over four hoursÕ batting, included ten fours, while his fellow HolderÕs Hill resident, who faced 100 balls fewer, counted seven boundaries in three hours on the easy-paced track. The effort by Wallace and Griffith would have required immense powers of concentration because a group of spectators at the southern end spent most of the day making noise with drums, steel bands, cymbals, triangles and a trombone. Pleaded Three times in one over just before tea, Wallace had to plead with them to keep quiet when the bowler was running in. Wallace and Griffith came together after Sherwin Campbell and his captain featured in their best opening stand of the season. After adding 65 to set the innings on the way, the partnership was undone by a careless dismissal. Campbell, short of runs and confidence recently, appeared to be regaining some of his best touch. Dropped by a diving Lewis at gully to the fifth ball of the innings, he went on to bat with some resolve and his footwork was better than it has been for a while. His eyes would have opened up when Marshall gave him a short, innocuous ball, but he went back and pulled it straight into the hands of mid-wicket after making 28 that included five fours, mainly his favourite cuts. Justifying the faith the selectors put in him ahead of Horace Waldron, Griffith was positive from the start and there was a touch of class about his driving through the off-side. He slowed on reaching his 50 at which point Wallace went back in an aggressive mood after a quiet period. Looking for his seventh first-class century, Wallace was undone by a fine delivery from McLean that cut back slightly, beat the defensive prod and cannoned into the off stump. Short-lived Roland Holder replaced Wallace with Barbados on 183 for two, but his stay was short-lived. Wanting a big score to enhance a claim to a Test place, he started impressively with two boundaries before a waist-high full-toss from Davis seemingly unsettled him. Holder had a long stare at Davis, but the next ball, pitched perfectly just outside the off-stump, edged his bat on the way to wicket-keeper Murray. Barbados were chasing a much bigger total than they anticipated. Nixon McLean and McNeil Morgan, resuming with the Windwards on 288 for nine, extended their last-wicket stand to 65 in a further 38 minutes. McLean, using his big shoulders to good effect, arrived at his maiden first-class half-century before he was caught on the third attempt by Terry Rollock at gully off left-arm spinner Winston Reid for 52. Barbados were relieved when the innings ended. They wonÕt be if they do not secure first innings points today. Internet coverage of the game is available from the Grenada Broadcasting Corporation at www2.spiceisle.com. Source :: The Barbados Nation (http://www.nationnews.com/) Contributed by The Management (help@cricinfo.com)