Lions make Barbados toil

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

Barbados were made to endure a long, hard toil when the England Lions, led by James Taylor and James Hildreth, batted resolutely in their WICB Regional Four-day Tournament first-class match yesterday.

The Barbadian bowling lacked penetration and Taylor, with an unbeaten 97, and Hildreth with 81 helped the Lions to 349 for four, replying to Barbados' first innings total of 471 at the close on the third day of their second-round match at Kensington Oval.

Pedro Collins was the pick of the Barbadian bowlers with three wickets for 65 runs from 25 overs, but Andrew Lyth scored 58, Craig Kieswetter was not out on 47 and Andrew Gale made 37 to put the Lions in a good place to challenge for first innings points on today's final day.

Barbados had early success, when they removed Gale and Lyth in the first hour to leave the visitors on 116 for three.

Collins bowled Gale in the fourth over of the day, following the batsman's second wicket stand of 86 with Lyth.

West Indies fast bowler Fidel Edwards, Collins' younger brother, who is returning to top-level cricket, following a career-threatening back injury, struck five overs later, when Lyth was caught at second slip.

But the Barbadians were put on ice when Hildreth, the Lions' captain, joined Taylor and they defied the home team with a stand of 156 for the fourth wicket.

SCOREBOARD

BARBADOS 1st Innings 471

ENGLAND LIONS 1st Innings

(overnight 101 for one)

A. Lyth c Richards b F. Edwards 58J. Adams cHinds b Collins 10A. Gale b Collins 37J. Hildreth c Holder b Collins 81J. Taylor not out 97+C. Kieswetter not out 47Extras (b1, lb2, w4, nb12) 19TOTAL (4 wkts, 115 overs) 349

L. Plunkett, J. Harris, D. Briggs, J. Dernbach, M. Chambers to bat

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-107, 3-116, 4-272

Bowling: Collins 25-4-65-3 (nb1, w1); F. Edwards 20-1-72-1 (nb10, w1); Holder 19-2-67-0; Stoute 26-3-71-0 (w2); Brooks 10-1-41-0; Hinds 15-6-30-0 (nb1)

Position: England Lions trail by 122 runs with six first innings wickets standing

Umpires: G. Brathwaite, G. Greaves

Match referee: M. Jones

Reserve umpire: R. Brathwaite.