RICARDO MAKYN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Jamaican all-rounder Gareth Breese is caught at the wicket for 18 by Shane Jeffers of the Leewards during day two of their Carib Beer Series macth at Kensington Oval, yesterday.Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
JAMAICA GOT off the mark in their bid to retain the regional Carib Beer Cup title when they picked up first innings points against the Leeward Islands at Kensington Park yesterday.
When rain stopped play at 4:04 on the second day of the four-day contest, the scoreboard read: the Leeward Islands 196 and 46 for one, Jamaica 223, and with two days to go, the match which saw Jamaica hanging on to snatch the lead appears heading for a close and exciting finish.
At one stage yesterday, Jamaica, with David Bernard and Gareth Breese batting well, were going great guns on 180 for four before the Leeward Islands, led by Omari Banks, did unto them what they had done to the Leeward Islands on the opening day and had them reeling at 193 for nine before, with three runs needed for the lead, last man Jerome Taylor boldly hit the offspinner to the mid-wicket boundary.
wickets tumbled
On the opening day, the Leeward Islands, sailing along at 185 for four, lost their last six wickets for 11 runs in 8.4 overs, and yesterday, with Banks pocketing five for 76 off 30 consecutive overs, Jamaica lost five wickets for 13 runs in six overs before an edged single past slip off Banks by the left-handed Andrew Richard-son and Taylor's strike handed them the lead.
Resuming on 35 for one with Xavier Marshall and Danza Hyatt both on seven, Jamaica lost their second wicket in the morning's first over when Hyatt was leg before wicket to pacer Carl Simon without adding to the overnight score.
With captain Tamar Lambert stroking the ball sweetly and driving pacer Adam Sanford straight for four and Simon straight for six, with Marshall surviving more by luck than by good batting, Jamaica steadied themselves before Marshall went at Banks and was caught by Sanford at long-on for 35 at 96 for three.
In the last over to lunch it was 144 for four when Lambert, after batting for 143 minutes, facing 126 deliveries, hitting one six and stroking four fours, went inside, attempted to glide medium-pacer Tonito Willett to fine-leg, and was brilliantly caught by a diving wicketkeeper Alderman Lesmond for an attractive 51.
With Bernard batting carefully and playing the shot of the day - an elegant drive to the wide long-off boundary off Sanford, and with Breese looking good while hooking Sanford twice and driving the pacer off the back foot to the wide long-off boundary in one over, Jamaica looked a good bet not only to ease past the Leeward Islands' total but also to post a substantial lead.
After pegging away for one solitary wicket, however, Banks struck and Jamaica were suddenly on the run.
drop catch
Bowling from the south, Banks pulled Breese forward, and the batsman was on the way caught by Shane Jeffers at short-leg for 18 at 180 for five; and after nicking the edge of Carlton Baugh's defensive bat only to see Lesmond drop the catch, he removed the little man next over when the batsman played forward to a bouncing delivery, tapped a return catch to the bowler and departed for five at 188 for six.
In the following over, Simon trapped Nikita Miller leg before for one at 191 for seven and Banks made it 193 for eight and 193 for nine in successive deliveries when Bernard swung at him, was beaten by the flight, and was caught for 45 by Sanford at wide long-on; and when, with the batsmen crossing while the ball was in the air, when Odean Brown, like Bernard, swung and was caught by Sanford in the same position.
After snatching the lead for Jamaica, Richardson and Taylor played a few handsome strokes before Gavin Tonge removed Taylor leg before in the first over of the second new ball.
Trailing by 27 runs, the Leeward Islands went out, stroked the ball confidently, and were unfortunate to lose Austin Richardson at 41 for one - the left-hander brilliantly run out by Bernard for 19 after stroking two glorious boundaries through the offside off pacer Richardson.
