JACOBS
Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
DISCOVERY BAY:
JAMAICA PICKED up their first points in the 2005 Carib Beer Series when they led the Leeward Islands on first innings at the Kaiser Sports Club yesterday.
Paced by fast bowler Jerome Taylor (5-23 off 11.1 overs) and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller (4-47 off 27), Jamaica, defending their first innings of 188, knocked off the Leeward Islands for 150.
At stumps, however, Jamaica, left with 21 overs to the end of the second day's play, were 37 for three in their second innings, and with two days to go, the match, as it was on the opening day when the Leeward Islands appeared on top, is far from over even though the Leeward Islands, now trailing by 75 will be batting last on a pitch overwhelmingly generous to bowlers.
Thanks to Taylor, however, to Miller, who celebrated his first-class debut in style, and also to fast bowler Daren Powell whose one wicket did not do justice to his skill, it is so far, so good for Jamaica.
In a wonderful performance in which their bowlers bowled a good length and a good line and particularly so after lunch, Jamaica, to the delight of the partisan crowd, surprised and rocked the Leeward Islands with two quick wickets, and then, after an attractive third-wicket partnership of 97 between Runako Morton, 50, and captain Sylvester Joseph, 35, ripped through the middle and lower order in an exciting post-lunch session dominated by Taylor and Miller.
DREAM START
With early wickets crucial to their bid to destroy the vaunted Leeward Islands batting, Jamaica got off to a dream start with two wickets in the first two overs.
Opening the bowling from the south, Powell sent Shane Jeffers packing the left-hander driving and falling to a brilliant catch by Lorenzo Ingram at third slip.
That was zero for one, and it was two for two in the following over when, after hooking the first delivery for two, veteran Stuart Williams attempted to hook again, was beaten for pace and bounce, and Miller at short-leg darted back and to his right to take the catch as the ball flew high off the batsman's gloves.
Despite beating the bat time and time again, Jamaica failed to get another wicket before lunch as Morton and Joseph, like Donovan Pagon and Tamar Lambert on the previous day, batted like tigers and reeled off some handsome strokes.
At lunch the scoreboard read 81 for two, and at that time, with Morton and Joseph going well, with Tonito Willett, Wilden Cornwall, Ridley Jacobs and Omari Banks to come, it appeared that the Leeward Islands were on the way to winning the lead.
In a beautiful attack after the interval, however, Jamaica, powered by Miller, operating from the north after eight unimpressive overs from the south, and Taylor, replacing an impressive but unlucky Powell, took control of the proceedings as the visitors lost six wickets for 42 runs in 30 overs with Miller picking up three for 14 off 14 overs and Taylor three for five off five.
MORTON'S RUN
After batting for 151 minutes and facing 104 deliveries, Joseph swept at Miller bowling around the wicket and was leg before wicket at 99 for three, and four runs later, at 103 for four, Morton, who batted for 167 minutes, faced 138 deliveries, stroked four fours and hit one six, was on his way leg before to Taylor.
With wickets falling like nine-pins, victim No. 5 was Cornwall his offstump sent flying by Taylor at 109; five runs later, victim No. 6 was veteran Jacobs caught by Ingram at silly point off Miller as the ball brushed the inside edge of his bat and bounced off his pad.
Without any addition to the score, victim No. 7 was Willett leg before to Taylor; and two runs later, it was 116 for eight when Miller, spinning the ball appreciably and flighting it like a veteran, trapped Banks leg before.
After tea, taken at 123 for eight, the Leewards, represented by Carl Simon and Kerry Jeremy, survived for a while before Miller, operating from over the wicket, bowled Simon through the gate as the left-hander played forward defensively.
END OF THE INNINGS
That was 140 for nine, and with Miller on four wickets, with Taylor on four wickets and the fans attempting to predict which one would end up with a handful,
Taylor bowled a delivery straight into Jeremy's pad and umpire Anthony Farrell lifted his right index finger to signal the end of the innings.
Leading by 38, Jamaica started their second innings confidently but cautiously and appeared set to end the day without loss when pacer Cornwall struck twice and offspinner Banks once as the home team lost three wickets for seven runs in four overs.
Replacing Jeremy at 13 without loss, Cornwall trapped Maurice Kepple leg before for 12 at 25 for one in the 13th over. In his following over he removed Shawn Findlay for eight at 26 for two when the left-handed carelessly cut at a wide delivery and was caught by Morton at second slip.
Then, in his first over after replacing Cornwall, two overs before umpires Farrell and Jamaica's Norman Malcolm offered bad light, Banks made it 32 for three when Ingram on one and playing neither back nor forward pushed the ball into Jeffers' hands at short-leg.
