PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC: DENESH RAMDIN enhanced his growing reputation when he hit his second first-class hundred to give Trinidad and Tobago the upper hand over Jamaica in their Carib Beer Series match yesterday at UWI, St. Augustine.
Ramdin, who made a confident entry into international cricket for West Indies last year, became the first batsman to hit a hundred this season, a stroke-filled, undefeated 125 that was the backbone of T&T's first innings total of 386.
Gareth Breese snared five wickets for 106 runs from 37 overs to be the pick of the Jamaica bowlers, but the hosts tightened their grip on the match before stumps were drawn on the second day when they restricted the visitors to 97 for three, despite a half century from West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels.
Ramdin's knock of 125 not out eclipsed his previous best of 114 against Guyana last year at Albion. He struck half-dozen fours and a couple of sixes from 255 balls in almost six hours.
He shared in a vital seventh-wicket partnership of exactly 100 with all-rounder Richard Kelly, who hit five fours and one six in a robust 62 off 92 balls in just over two hours.
Ramdin, in particular, and Kelly helped transform the complexion of T&T's innings, after the hosts continued from their overnight position of 201 for six.
KELLY DISMISSED
The two stroked the ball with crisp assurance before Kelly was dismissed shortly before the lunch interval, caught inside the long-off boundary trying to loft Breese out of the ground.
Rayad Emrit joined Ramdin and saw T&T off to the lunch interval on 293 for seven, but he was caught behind off Jermaine Lawson for 15 to leave T&T on 319 for eight.
Dave Mohammed arrived and after giving good support to Ramdin in a stand of 30 for the ninth wicket, drove loosely at Andrew Richardson and was caught at backward point for five.
T&T were 349 for nine, but Ramdin was nervously six short of his milestone, but newcomer Sanjiv Gooljar offered reassurance at the other end.
Ramdin eventually reached his landmark with a single through square-leg off Richardson before Taylor bowled Gooljar for three on the stroke of the tea break to bring an end to the T&T innings.
AT ST. GEORGE'S, Grenada, the Windward Islands, replying to Barbados' first innings total of 365, were 14 without loss at stumps at the Tanteen Recreation Ground.
SCORES: Barbados 365 (Alcindo Holder 84, Wayne Blackman 60, Ryan Hinds 46, Patrick Browne 41, Ryan Nurse 33; Rawl Lewis 6-105, Darren Sammy 2-48).
SCOREBOARD
Trinidad and Tobago first innings
(Resumed at 201-6)
D. Ramdin not out 125
R. Kelly c Bernard b Breese 62
R. Emrit c Baugh b Lawson 15
D. Mohammed c Taylor b Richardson 5
S. Gooljar b Taylor 3
Extras (lb7, nb20) 27
TOTAL (all out) 386
Fall: 1-13, 2-85, 3-89, 4-97, 5-135, 6-181, 7-281, 8-319, 9-349.
Bowling: Lawson 20-4-52-1 (nb16); Taylor 21.4-6-42-2; Richardson 24-5-67-1
(nb3); Bernard 3-0-10-0 (nb1); Miller 25-5-53-0; Breese 37-3-106-5; Samuels 19-3-49-1.
Jamaica first innings
W. Hinds c Ramdin b Kelly 4
B. Parchment lbw D. Mohammed 22
M. Samuels c Ramdin b Bravo 63
T. Lambert not out 6
N. Miller not out 0
Extras (nb2) 2
TOTAL (for three wkts) 97
Fall: 1-8, 2-82, 3-97.
Bowling: Kelly 8-2-29-1; Emrit 7-1-16-0; Bravo 8-2-22-1 (nb2); Mohammed
4-0-26-1; Gooljar 3-1-4-0.
