PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, (CMC):
HALF CENTURIES from Brendan Nash and Danza Hyatt helped leaders Jamaica to an important 73-run lead against Trinidad and Tobago on the second day of their Carib Beer Series fourth-round match yesterday at the Queen's Park Oval.
Chasing T&T's modest first innings total of 257, the Jamaicans ended on 330 for eight with the left-handed Nash on 96 not out, and fast bowler Daren Powell on 27. The leading bowlers for T&T were pacers Rayad Emrit (2-56) and Ravi Rampaul (2-67) and offspinner Amit Jaggernauth (2-73).
Nash's hard-fought innings came in 266 minutes from 177 balls and included 13 fours. He shared in a vital fourth-wicket stand of 117 in 150 minutes with Hyatt, who made a workman-like 72. Hyatt's innings was compiled in 214 minutes and 165 balls with 13 fours. Earlier, Jamaica resumed on their overnight position of 41 for one with opener Brenton Parchment on 18, and former West Indies youth batsman Xavier Marshall on one.
T&T opened their bowling attack with their front-line spinners Jaggernauth and Dave Mohammed. But after one over, Jaggernauth was replaced by medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo from the media-centre end. Parchment and Marshall carried the score to 64 before Parchment was involved in a terrible mix-up with Marshall and was run out for 25.
Hyatt joined Marshall and survived many anxious moments against the spin and pace attack employed by skipper Daren Ganga, but, with 15 minutes to the lunch break, Marshall was deceived by a faster delivery from Jaggernauth and umpire Colin Alfred had no hesitation in giving him out leg-before for a well-played 47, with scoreboard reading 107 for three.
The right-hander batted for 107 minutes and 91 balls and struck six fours and one six.
Hyatt and Australia-born Nash then saw their team safely to the interval at 121 for three.
Upon resumption, the T&T bowlers did an excellent job in containing the batsmen, with only five runs being scored from the first eight overs. Hyatt, in particular, was stalled as he faced 26 deliveries before had added to his lunchtime total.
However, Hyatt began to grow in confidence and began striking run-scoring shots on either side of the wicket.
He brought up his half-century with a pull off Keiron Pollard to the square-leg boundary for four. His fifty was achieved in 169 minutes off 119 balls and contained 10 fours.
Healthy position
Jamaica, boasting a 100 per cent win record in the tournament, went to the tea interval in the healthy position of 219 for three, with Hyatt on 71 and Nash on 47.
After the break, Nash reached his 50 with a double through third-man off Jason Mohammed's bowling. Soon after, Hyatt's innings came to an end when he was caught at the long-on boundary by Jason Mohammed off Jaggernauth's bowling for 72.
The Jamaicans lost two quick wickets with the second new ball.
Emrit had Dave Bernard caught at second slip by Jaggernauth for 14 with the total on 262 for five and, two balls later with the score unchanged, he bowled Carlton Baugh for no score.
The erratic Rampaul then joined in the act when he removed Nikita Miller (six), caught behind by Denesh Ramdin, as the Jamaicans stumbled to 271 for seven.
Jerome Taylor (11) did not last long, leaving Nash and Powell to carry the Jamaicans safely to the close of play.
AT GROS ISLET, Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC), following on 198 runs behind the Windward Islands' first innings score of 347 all out, reached 96 for three in their second innings at the close of the second day at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium.
Scores:
WINDWARDS 347 (Devon Smith 159, Donwell Hector 46, Darren Sammy 37, Myles Bascombe 36, Deighton Butler 21 not out; Garvin Wallace 3-56, Kurt Wilkinson 2-41, Jamal Noel 2-58). CCC 149 (Chadwick Walton 63, Shirley Clarke 27; Liam Sebastien 3-14, Deighton Butler 2-20, Darren Sammy 2-22, Shane Shillingford 2-35) and 96-3 (Kurt Wilkinson 50; Shane Shillingford 2-21).
AT SALEM, Montserrat, No play was possible yesterday between the Leeward Islands and Barbados at Salem Park due to rain.
The Leewards took advantage of a firm pitch to close the first rian-affected day on 166 for two in 40 overs. Captain Runako Morton lashed a belligerent 73 off 114 balls that included five sixes and four fours, while opener Austin Richards made 45.
T&T first innings 257
Jamaica first innings
(Resumed at 41-1)
B. Parchment run out 25 X. Marshall lbw Jaggernauth 47 D. Hyatt c J. Mohammed b Jaggernauth 72 B. Nash not out 96 D. Bernard c Jaggernauth b Emrit 14 C. Baugh b Emrit 0 N. Miller c Ramdin b Rampaul 6 J. Taylor c Simmons b Rampaul 11 D. Powell not out 27 Extras (11w, 4nb, 5b, 6lb) 26
TOTAL (for eight wkts - 98 overs) 330
Fall: 1-36, 2-64, 3-107, 4-224, 5-262, 6-262, 7-271, 8-290.
Bowling: Rampaul 14-1-67-2 (11w, 4nb); Emrit 14-1-56-2; Bravo 16-5-38-1; Jaggernauth 25-3-73-3; D Mohammed 21-8-62-0; Pollard 3-0-15-0; J Mohammed 5-1-8-0.
