Dr. Rollin Bertrand (right), CEO of TCL Group, and Hollis Hosein, group finance manager, talk with Derval Green (left), captain of Jamaica's TCL team, prior to their departure for the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge in St. Kitts. The meeting took place at the Caribbean Cement Company, a member of the TCL Group. - Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (CMC):

Jamaica gave another authoritative display to hold the upper hand on the second day of their opening round match against Trinidad and Tobago in the 2007 TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge yesterday.

At the Cayon Sporting Complex, Jamaica led by a hard-hitting 90 from No.10 batsman Jamie Merchant, went on to tally a competitive 336, after they resumed on 270 for nine.

They then dismissed Trinidad and Tobago for a modest 191, with leg-spinner Nkruma Bonner doing the damage with four for 49. He was well supported by pacer Jason Dawes with three for 16 and right-arm spinner Andre Creary two for 55.

Left with eight overs batting Jamaica, with a lead of 145, closed on 46 without loss, with openers Horace Miller unbeaten on 30 and Christie Jones 14.

Overall lead

They now have an overall lead of 191 runs with all their second-innings wickets remaining entering today's last day.

Chasing the opposition's competitive total of 336, T&T's captain Adrian Barath (55) and Darren Bravo (53) set the tone for their team with an enterprising second-wicket partnership of 105 runs in 109 minutes, but upon their dismissals, the T&T middle and lower-order batting failed to consolidate the promising start and the innings folded from 109 for one to the sub-200 total.

Earlier, the Jamaicans resumed on their overnight position of 270 for nine and prolonged the agony of the T&T bowlers with an enterprising last-wicket partnership which yielded an overall 97 runs in 118 minutes, through Merchant and Dawes.

First 50

Merchant registered his first 50 at this level before being the last batsman to be dismissed, caught at the long-off boundary by Jervon Charles off part-time medium-pacer Kavon Cooper for his near century knock. He batted for 223 minutes, faced 137 balls and struck 12 fours and one six.

Left-arm spinner Vishan Ram-roop was the top bowler for T&T with four for 96, while Varoon Samaroo (2-66) and Charles (2-84) had two wickets apiece.

AT WARNER PARK: Donwell Hector became the first batsman to score a hundred in this year's championship, helping the Wind-ward Islands restore pride in their opening match against Barbados yesterday.

Hector hit 102 as Windwards, trailing Barbados by 165 runs on first innings, reached 159 for four in their second innings when stumps were drawn on the second day at Warner Park.

Hector totally dominated a 111-run stand with captain Lauron Francois for the third wicket. Hector struck 18 fours and one six from just 90 balls in a little under 2-1/4 hours of batting.

Earlier, Barbados continued from their bedtime total of 149 for two, but they were eventually dismissed for 273 an hour after lunch. Rashidi Boucher finished with the top score of 81 and Barbados captain Shamarh Brooks supported with 56.

Dawnley Grant impressed with both his pace and his control to snare five wickets for 45 runs from 17 overs. Leg-spinne Audain supported with four for 78 from 25.3 overs.

At the Conaree Sports Club: Leeward Islands, trailing Guyana by 62 on first innings, reached 50 for two in their second innings on the second day of their opening round match yesterday.

Brief scores:

LEEWARD ISLANDS 151 (Chesney Hughes 49, Kieran Powell 26; Veerasammy Permaul 6-55, Clive Andries 4-32) and 50 for two (Chesney Hughes 22, Kieran Powell 13).

GUYANA 213 (Steve Jacobs 49, Muneshar Pattadin 46, Vishan Singh 41, Rajendra Chandrika 22; Terrance Ward 3-40, Kelbert Walters 2-58, Chesney Hughes 2-45).