Aggressive Ryan Hinds smashes 168

Left-handed Hinds hit a stroke-filled 168 as he punished the Leewards bowling after he was dropped on 36. The former West Indies youth captain shared an important seventh wicket stand of 141 with Ian Bradshaw (25) who helped his skipper consolidate the Barbados innings after they had lost four quick wickets before lunch and two after the interval.

Hinds, who hammered 25 fours — a mixture of drives, pull and sweep shots — and three sixes in just over three hours at the crease, was dropped by Runako Morton at slip in debutant teenage leg-spinner Colin Hamer’s first over. Two balls earlier, Hinds had given the 17-year-old a rude introduction into First-Class cricket when he swept and pulled him for two fours.

But Hamer should have had his revenge when Hinds edged to a diving Morton, who got both hands to the ball and floored the chance.

And to add insult to injury, Hinds swung the next delivery over mid-wicket for six. It was a break Barbados needed because at that stage they had lost four wickets although they were scoring at about run-a-ball rate on a good batting pitch and a fast outfield.

Barbados entrenched their position by the close as Morton, who weathered a fiery opening burst from pacer Fidel Edwards to hit him out of the attack with several boundaries, skied an attempted hook off Ryan Nurse and Holder took a well-judged catch at backward square. Morton departed for 41 with the score on 70 for two after opener Shane Jeffers (6) gloved an Edwards’ lifter to the wicket-keeper to make it eight for one, and night-watchman Carl Simon (2) gave a catch to silly point.