Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport
IAN ALLEN, Staff Photographer - Jamaican opening batsman Brenton Parchment on the go during his innings of 51 not out against Guyana at Kensington Oval. Guyana wicketkeeper Vishal Nagamootoo looks on.
THE MISERABLE weather experienced in recent weeks in the eastern Caribbean has apparently accompanied the Guyanese cricket team all the way to Jamaica.
After three rain-affected Carib Beer series matches out 'east', the tourists were hoping for bright skies and a full day's play, but that wasn't to be the case on the first day of their fourth-round match against the hosts at Kensington Park yesterday.
When rain interrupted play for a second and final time just before 1:00 p.m. yesterday, the host side, having won the toss and electing to bat on a dry, hard pitch, had reached a reasonable position of 91 for two off 32 overs.
Opener Brenton Parchment had put together a well-compiled 51 and skipper Tamar Lambert was on two not out.
While the Jamaicans are in solid shape going into day two, it could have been much better.
Parchment opened with Dominic Pagon and the pair were cruising against an innocuous attack when drizzle forced them from the ground and to an early lunch at 11:35 a.m.
They had little trouble countering the medium pace of Trevon Garroway, Neil McGarrell and Guyanese skipper Damodar Daesrath plus the spin of Imran Jafferally and Mahendra Nagamootoo.
The pair took the competition's top team to 77 without loss when Jafferally stumbled to the pitch, bowling the first ball of the 24th over, the umpires immediately called for the covers.
Pagon was on 33 and the more aggressive Parchment, who had pounded Jafferally for a straight six to claim the shot of the abbreviated morning session, was on 43.
GUYANA STRIKE BACK
However, the brief 32 minutes of play after lunch saw the tourists claw back into the match. First, Pagon played a half-hearted drive off Jafferally straight down the throat of McGarrell at mid off when on 35 and the score at 81 and then in the same bowler's next over, debutant Danza Hyatt (two) played back to a straight delivery and was comprehensively bowled. Leaving Jamaica at 83-2.
Pagon's innings included six boundaries but he will be ruing a missed opportunity to compile a big score.
While, Jafferally, who bowls offspin with a round-arm action, claimed the wickets and finished with figures of 2-21 off 10 overs, Nagamootoo (0-17, seven overs) looked the pick of the Guyanese attack before the rain came.
Making their debuts for Jamaica yesterday were Hyatt and fast bowlers Dwight Washington and Dwight Stewart. Missing out were Jerome Taylor, who is being rested and unlucky spinner Bevon Brown, as the selectors opted for pace on the usually quick pitch.
Action starts today at 9:30 a.m.
At the Arnos Vale Ground in St. Vincent, the Windward Islands were 23 for eight at the close on the opening day of their fourth round match against Trinidad & Tobago.
Earlier, Trinidad & Tobago were bowled out for 160.
Summarised scores: T&T 160 (Shazan Babwah 45, Imran Jan 29 not out, Daren Ganga 16, Denesh Ramdin 14, Lendl Simmons 12; Darren Sammy 4-21, Shane Shillingford 2-28, Deighton Butler 2-36).
The Windwards 23-8 (Richard Kelly 5-14).
SCOREBOARD
Jamaica first innings
B. Parchment not out 51
D. Pagon c McGarrell b Jafferally 35
D. Hyatt b Jafferally 2
T. Lambert not out 2
Extras (nb) 1
TOTAL (for two wkts - 32 overs) 91
Fall: 81, 83
Bowling: Garroway 4-0-19-0, McGarrell
6-3-18-0, Daesrath 5-0-16-0, Jafferally
10-2-21-2 (nb), Nagamootoo 7-1-17-0.
