CAVE HILL, Barbados (CMC) — Two wickets, including that of West Indies opener Kieran Powell, in the final 20 minutes loosened Leeward Islands’ grip against Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) in the Regional Four-Day Championship here yesterday.

Leewards reached 62 for three, replying to CCC’s first innings total of 180, with their captain Sylvester Joseph not out on two, and Devon Thomas not out on six at the close on the opening day of their fourth round match at the Three Ws Oval.

Left-hander Powell made 28 and Orlando Peters got 14, sharing 53 for the second wicket, before they fell in the space of 18 deliveries to undermine the visitors’ push to gain first innings points for the first time this season.

Steady bowling, led by Larry Joseph and Gavin Tonge, gave Leewards early control, as CCC, sent in to bat on a hard, true pitch, posted a respectable total after they slumped to 95 for six at lunch.

Left-hander Raymon Reifer held the innings together with a circumspect 45, and Shacaya Thomas made 35, but no other batsman reached 20.

Off-spinner Joseph was the pick of the Leewards’ bowling, taking three for 32 from 16.3 overs, Tonge grabbed three for 55 from 16 overs, and leg-spinner Anthony Martin was the most economical with two for 36 from 26 overs.

Leewards suffered a setback in the very first over of their innings, when opener Montcin Hodge was caught at square leg for a duck from a miscued hook at a short, rising delivery from Kesrick Williams.

Peters came to the crease and batted for close to 90 minutes with Powell to ease some of the tension, but was run out backing up too far with the close approaching.

Powell was looking to have a solid knock in his final match prior to the first Test against Zimbabwe starting next Tuesday at Kensington Oval, a few kilometres south of this venue.

But he was caught at slip playing defensively forward to off-spinner Ryan Austin about 10 minutes before the close, leaving Leewards 55 for three.

The two teams entered this round of matches in the bottom positions in the table — Leewards were sixth on three points, and CCC were last with no points.