BARBADOS Pride Head Coach Vasbert Drakes says he wants his team to ram home the advantage against Jamaica Scorpions in the third-round, regional, four-day match at Sabina Park.

But Scorpions Captain Jermaine Blackwood believes they are still in with a shot at getting back into the encounter despite the Pride taking a first-innings lead of 46 runs with four wickets in hand.

At the close of play on day two the Pride were 315-6, in reply to the Scorpions’ 269 on the Wednesday.

West Indies Test Captain Kraigg Brathwaite batted throughout the entire day for a routinely obdurate 129, his 31st hundred at first class level, while former regional team wicketkeeper Shane Dowrich is with him on 19.

Pacer Derval Green was the best bowler on show for the Scorpions with 2-38. The hosts also twice benefited from a mix-up between the Pride batsmen which led to two run outs.

“We’re slightly in front…but still a lot of cricket to play over the next two days,” Drakes told journalists at the close.

“In an ideal world we’d like to have a 150-odd run lead but we have to start back and have our innings flowing… on a wicket that’s pretty much at its best.”

He praised the 31-year-old Brathwaite, who endured a lean spell on the recent two-Test tour of Australia and also struggled in the first two matches of the regional season, for coming good against the Scorpions.

“It’s nice to see him [Brathwaite] back in the runs, spending time at the wicket and obviously allowing the batters to bat around,” the Pride coach said.

Blackwood noted that his bowlers veered away from plans on Thursday but said there is still a chance to bounce back.

“I think some of the times we got a little bit indisciplined and too impatient when we bowled,” he said.

“It was a tough day [but] it could have been worse. So, we just have to come back tomorrow, assess the situation and try to bowl some maidens, and then see if we get these four wickets for anything under 60 runs.”

The Scorpions captain also praised Brathwaite for batting “excellently” to blunt the hosts’ bowlers.

He added: “It was a hard day. This is what first class cricket is all about — quality batsmen, and they’re batting pretty well so we just have to give them credit.”

The Pride had resumed from their overnight score of 15 without loss but Brathwaite’s opening partner Zachary McCaskie (15) went with the total on 17, trapped leg before wicket by Green.

Left-hander Shayne Moseley fell not long after when he edged a drive off a delivery from Ojay Shields and was caught at first slip by Chadwick Walton at 36-2.

Brathwaite and Jonathan Drakes (31) added 55 runs for the third wicket to bring stability before the latter was bowled by off spinner Peat Salmon.

That brought the 20-year-old former West Indies youth standout Kevin Wickham to the crease, and he entertained with a number of elegant shots around the park. But after scoring a fluent 92-ball 63 in a 120-run fourth-wicket stand, a horrible mix-up between him and his skipper led to his demise via the run out route.

As the Scorpions continued to toil in late afternoon Roshon Primus was dismissed by Green for 22 and Akeem Jordan (13) was run out trying to return for an impossible second run to give the Scorpions a sniff.

However Brathwaite, who continued to bat assuredly and even opened his shoulders a few times as the bowlers showed fatigue, and Dowrich, ensured no further loss for the Pride.

Brathwaite, renowned for his patience at the crease, has faced a monumental 290 deliveries while striking 13 boundaries.