ST JOHN’S, Antigua (CMC) – Barbados Pride and Trinidad and Tobago (T&T) Red Force are in the ascendancy against the Jamaica Scorpions and Leeward Islands Hurricanes, respectively, at the close of play on the opening day of their third-round encounters.

The Pride used a balanced bowling attack to dismiss the Scorpions for 231, while the Red Force produced a dominant display with the bat to amass 326 for three before rain brought an end to the day’s proceedings.

At Kensington Oval off-spinner Chaim Holder took three wickets, while Captain Kraigg Brathwaite, Kemar Roach, and Jomel Warrican each took two wickets, and the Jamaica Scorpions’ batting woes continued as they were bowled out by the Barbados Pride.

Things could have been much worse for the visitors after they found themselves in deeper trouble at 138 for seven. But a 75-run partnership between Odean Smith and Jeavor Royal brought relative respectability to their total.

Smith hit a counter-attacking, even half-century off 42 balls and Royal scored 43 from 89 balls to get their side up to a respectable total.

The Scorpions’ collapse didn’t seem to be on the cards when they were 64 for one with Carlos Brown and Kirk McKenzie at the crease, following the early dismissal of Captain John Campbell.

But pacer Matthew Forde bowled Brown for 29 and McKenzie was caught behind off the bowling of Warrican to see the Scorpions slip to 75 for three.

Jermaine Blackwood and Javelle Glenn added 48 runs for the fourth wicket before Holder claimed both in quick succession along with the wicket of Brad Barnes, and Roach dismissed Daniel Beckford for a duck as the visitors slumped to 138 for seven.

However, Smith and Royal defied the Pride’s bowlers and helped the Scorpions past the 200 mark.

Brathwaite then took two wickets in the space of three balls with his part-time off-spin to wrap up the tail.

The Pride reached nine without loss in the three overs they faced, 222 runs in arrears.

At Warner Park, West Indies wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva and Jason Mohammed hit unbeaten centuries to put Trinidad and Tobago Red Force in a strong position against the Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the end of day one.

Da Silva got some much-needed runs under his belt, stroking an unbeaten 120, while Mohammed finished on 104 not out to propel the Red Force to 326 for three.

The pair has so far added 212 runs for the fourth wicket after coming together with the score 114 for three.

Daniel Doram struck early for the Hurricanes when he removed Cephas Cooper for just 14, with the score on 27.

Vikash Mohan, who scored 22, and Amir Jangoo, who scored 60 off just 69 balls, with six fours and three sixes, then added 44 in quick time before off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall ended the partnership by dismissing Mohan.

Shortly after reaching his half-century, Jangoo lost his wicket to Cornwall to leave the contest evenly poised.

But any hopes the home side had of making inroads into the Red Force’s batting was halted by Da Silva and Mohammed, with the two batsmen tilting the balance of the game squarely in T&T’s favour.

Da Silva has so far struck 10 fours and one six in 163 balls, while Mohammed has faced 172 balls and hit nine fours and two sixes.