Deadly duo - Russell, Miller bowl Jamaica to victory

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

Accurate bowling by fast bowler Andre Russell and persistent bowling by Nikita Miller yesterday guided Jamaica to an 81-run win over the Windward Islands in their opening round Regional Four-day Tournament clash at Sabina Park yesterday.

The ever-improving Russell, who on Saturday was bought for US$475,000 by Indian Premier League outfit Dehli Daredevils, in returning to wrap up the tail-ender after the visitors had threatened to make a game of the encounter, claimed 3-16, and the characteristically steady Miller, 3-65, as the Windwards, chasing 320 for victory, were bowled out 238.

Jamaica, who asked to take first strike, were dismissed for 180 in their first innings, while the Windwards, in reply, were restricted to 159.

"It's the type of start that we would have liked heading into next weekend's second match against what should be a fairly tough Barbados team," said captain Tamar Lambert

"We did apply ourselves to in the first innings, but thanks to Andrew Richardson, who took five wickets in their first innings, and Chris Gayle with his big hundred in our second innings, we were able to set up the match in our favour.

"We then saw Miller and Russell putting the ball in the right areas, which created a lot of pressure for them and allowed us to come out on top."

Resuming the day on 262-7 for an overall lead of 283 runs, with Russell on 23 and Miller yet to score, it was Jamaica's intention to try and score as many runs as possible and try and put the Windwards out of the game

Fighting chance

However, thanks to off-spinner Shane Shillingford, who claimed 6-75, and Nelon Pascal, who took 3-76, the Windwards were able to limit the Jamaicans and give themselves a fighting chance of scoring an outright win.

But as fate would have it, that was not to be, despite a well-played knock of 103 from opener Devon Smith, who along with Gayle and Nash in Jamaica's first innings were the only batsmen who really looked like they up for the challenge, the Windwards could not manage, much to the delight of the small band of spectators who were on hand.

Wicketkeeper Lyndon James, who shared in an 85-run seventh- wicket stand with Smith that took the score from an appalling 88-6, at one stage, to a game-changing 173-6, was the Windwards next best scorer with 39.

Shillingford, in the meantime, who is no doubt eyeing a place in the West Indies squad ahead of Australia's tour of the Caribbean, ended unbeaten on 19 after he too partnered with Smith, and shared in a 43-run eighth-wicket alliance, which took the Windwards into shouting distance at 216-7.

"The innings of Chris Gayle really set us back, but having said that, we knew we had the ability to try and chase just over 300 to win," said Smith.

"For this to happen, however, it needed a senior player like myself to bat through until the end and get an equally big hundred like Gayle did, but unfortunately that did not happen.

"But congrats to Jamaica, they played collectively better than us, and are deserving winners."

Jamaica will next play Barbados at Sabina Park starting on Friday.

SCOREBOARD

JAMAICA 1st Innings 180

WINDWARDS 1st Innings 159

JAMAICA 2nd Innings

(overnight 262 for seven)

N Miller not out 10

Fall of wickets: 1-50, 2-56, 3-158, 4-201, 5-218, 6-228, 7-261, 8-269, 9-277, 10-298.

Bowling: Pascal 16-2-76-3, Peters 9-2-37-1, Shillingford 20.5-2-75-6, Mathurin 13-0-55-0, Sebastien 3-0-20-0, Polius 2-0-17-0.

WINDWARDS 2nd Innings (Target: 320)

Fall of wickets: 1-10, 2-24, 3-39, 4-40, 5-49, 6-88, 7-173, 8-216, 9-224, 10-238.

Bowling: Richardson 7-0-32-1 Russell 7.1-2-16-3 Bernard 4-0-14-0 Miller 36-6-65-3 Gayle 19-4-51-2 Brown 10-2-29-0 Lambert 1-0-13-0.

Result: Jamaica won by 81 runs.

Points: Jamaica 12, Windwards 0.

Umpires: Nigel Duguid, Norman Malcolm.