Trinidad and Tobago took control of their Regional four-day match against the Leeward Islands on the third day of the contest yesterday, with half centuries from opener Adrian Barath (71) and all-rounder Yannic Cariah (83), setting the hosts a daunting 335 runs to win.

The Leewards' task became even more difficult by the end of the day yesterday as they stumbled to 45 for two as the spinners continued to turn the screws and tighten T&T's grip on the match.

But it was a totally different story in the morning session yesterday as T&T, continuing from an overnight score of 40 for one, were reduced to 48 for four inside the first hour before slipping further to 90 for six as the Leewards spinners had their way.

Larry Joseph (four for 66) led the Leewards fightback, taking the first three wickets to fall on the third day, Evin Lewis, Kjorn Ottley and Imran Khan all going cheaply, before leg-spinner Anthony Martin got into the act, sending back first innings hero Yannick Ottley, who scored a half century in T&T's first innings. He was caught behind for 15.

Up to that point, only Barath seemed capable of negotiating the spin. He was joined by Cariah with the T&T innings in shambles and the pair started the repair work.

Showing respect to the spinners on a turning track, Barath, compiled his second half century of the game and looked set to score his first century of the campaign but fell 29 runs short.

He and Cariah put on 55 runs for the seventh wicket, saving T&T from embarrassment before Barath was caught by Tonito Willet to give Joseph (L) his fourth wicket.

But just as the Leewards were going in for the kill, Cariah and Katwaroo–T&T's other savior of the first innings--shared another big partnership, this time worth 79 for the eighth wicket which almost took T&T safely to tea.

Katwaroo, who propped up the T&T first innings with a defiant 55, was run out, this time for just 23 as the visitors went into the afternoon interval at 223 for eight with Cariah still at the wicket on 78 not out.

The left-handed Cariah brought up his half century off 116 balls with seven fours. He spent 110 minutes at the wicket to extend T&T's lead to 308.

After the break, Cariah departed caught by Willet off Gavin Tonge before Martin ended T&T's resistance, bowling Amit Jaggernauth to finish with three for 60.

It was always going to be an uphill task for the Leewards and the T&T spinners made sure of it, with Imran Khan again applying the pressure late in the afternoon after the pacers Ravi Rampaul and Rayad Emrit picked up the two wickets.

The hosts closed the day on 45 for two, still 290 away from their target.

Yesterday's regional scores:

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 279 all out (Adrian Barath 58, Yannick Ottley 58, Stephen Katwaroo 55, Ravi Rampaul 27; Quinton Boatswain 4-75, Gavin Tonge 2-52) and 249 (Yannick Cariah 83, Adrian Barath 71; Larry Joseph 4-66, Anthony Martin 3-60)

LEEWARD ISLANDS 194 (Sylvester Joseph 68, Austin Richards Jr 28, Montcin Hodge 24; Imran Khan 4-62, Yannick Cariah 3-35, Amit Jaggernauth 3-39) and 45 for two.

At 3W's Oval: Barbados won by an innings and 185 runs.

COMBINED CAMPUSES & COLLEGES 109 (Kyle Corbin 26, Shacaya Thomas 21; Chris Jordan 7-43, Ashley Nurse 2-30) and 78 (Akeem Dewar 22; Ashley Nurse 3-18, Jason Holder 3-22, Miguel Cummins 2-11, Chris Jordan 2-15)

BARBADOS 372 (Kirk Edwards 109, Kraigg Brathwaite 90, Shane Dowrich 56 not out, Rashidi Boucher 23, Jason Holder 20; Akeem Dewar 7-116)

At Arnos Vale Complex: Windwards won by four wickets.

GUYANA 151 all out (Assad Fudadin 55, Rajindra Chandrika 25, Leon Johnson 23; Shane Shillingford 4-40, Liam Sebastien 3-21, Delorn Johnson 3-43) and 211 (Zaheer Mohammed 61, Tagenarine Chanderpaul 33, Leon Johnson 31; Shane Shillingford 7-64)

WINDWARD ISLANDS 276 (Keddy Lesporis 39, Devon Smith 38, Liam Sebastien 35, Lyndon James 31, Kenroy Peters 27, Dalton Polius 24; Devendra Bishoo 5-67, Leon Johnson 2-18) and 87 for six (Devon Smith 25, Dalton Polius 21; Devendra Bishoo 3-19, Steven Jacobs 3-40)