A familiar script was written at Kensington Oval yesterday

Haydn Gill18-Feb-2001A familiar script was written at Kensington Oval yesterday. A variedTrinidad and Tobago spin attack once more caused an embarrassingdownfall among Barbados’ batsmen.When Barbados were eventually relieved of their misery and weredismissed for 180 in response to the hosts’ 254, they might haverealised that the result of this match could have a huge impact ontheir position in the tournament.If they can somehow turn around their 74-run first inningsdisadvantage and complete a comeback win, they will be assured oftheir 17th regional first-class title. If, however, they lose, theycan slump to as low as sixth place in the overall positions and bedenied of the Cup and possibly a place in next weekend’s BustaInternational Shield semifinals.The biggest crowd seen at Kensington since Carl Hooper made hispresence in the opening round had to endure the calamity of Barbadosconceding first innings lead for the fourth time in their five homematches this season.The hurt might have been felt more by one of the soil’s most patrioticsons, Julian Hunte, his first appearance of the season accompanied byhis aquamarine and gold suit and the blowing of his conch shell thatgreeted every boundary.Hunte, sitting in the front row of the 3Ws stand and sometimesstanding, was forced to keep quiet when Trinidad and Tobago made lightwork of Barbados’ lower order.After a job of consolidation between Ryan Hinds and Roland Holder,Barbados lost their last six wickets for 39 runs against the leg-spinof Dinanath Ramnarine, the off-spin of Mukesh Persad and the back-ofthe-hand left-arm spin of Dave Mohammed.Loose strokesFive of Barbados’ batsmen were bowled and, overall, at least sixbatsmen were guilty of loose strokes. In order, they were PhiloWallace, Adrian Griffith, Floyd Reifer, Holder, Courtney Browne, Hindsand Ian Bradshaw.From the very first ball of the innings delivered by Theodore Modeste,Wallace made his intentions clear when he launched into a massivedrive which peeled off the outside edge and down to the third manboundary. It was his solitary scoring stroke and Modeste hit his offstump when he aimed an ugly cross-batted shot.There were no such attempts from Campbell, who opened his account witha firm off-drive against Darryl Brown and followed with a cover-drivethat raced across the outfield.The scoreboard was quickly ticking and Trinidad and Tobago captainRichard Smith had no option but to summon his main trump card afteronly five overs.It was a move that paid dividends. Ramnarine, seeking to regain hisWest Indies place, came come into this match with 38 wickets and addedanother with his third ball with the contentious dismissal ofGriffith.It was achieved with the help of a cross-batted stroke from Griffith,but he left the playing area giving the impression that he had beenhard done by the umpire.Run-a-minuteBarbados reached 71 for two at the lunch break at a rate of a run-aminute, with both Campbell and Reifer in good touch.Reifer, considered lucky by some to be in the team before SeanArmstrong, played a few firm drives down the ground. His enjoys areputation against spin bowling, but it would have diminished after hehit a full-toss from the young Mohammed down the throat of mid-on.Campbell went into a shell and managed only seven runs in almost 50minutes in the post-lunch session when Ramnarine breached histentative defensive prod.It left Barbados 86 for four and in need of a recovery act.There was temporary relief in a fighting fifth wicket stand of 55between Hinds and Holder. At no stage were they ever able to dominatethe bowling for the almost two hours they were together.When Holder tried to free himself, he missed a drive against Ramnarineand was bowled for 28.It was the beginning of the afternoon slump.Browne arrived to sweep Persad over square-leg for a six, but it was asimilar shot that ended his innings by a way of top-edge and a returncatch to the same bowler.Hinds, on his 20th birthday, was entrenched for more than three hoursfor 36 when he casually drove Mohammed straight to mid-off to leaveBarbados 168 for seven.The die-hards who still held out hope of Barbados gaining firstinnings lead surely lost it when Ian Bradshaw edged a pull into hisstumps off Mohammed three runs later.