FRIENDSHIP, Barbados (CMC):An entertaining 177-run, sixth-wicket stand between their captain Andre Creary and wicketkeeper/batsman Marvarick Perry put Jamaica in a favourable position against defending champions Guyana in the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge yesterday.
The 17-year-old Creary hit an enterprising 118 and Perry made 80, as Jamaica recovered from early strife to declare at 354 for nine in their first innings on a flat Yorkshire Sports Club pitch on the opening day of their fourth round match.
Creary batted 4-1/2 hours, faced 197 balls, and struck 13 fours and two sixes, while Perry hit eight fours and two sixes from 181 balls in a little under 3-1/2 hours.
Keon Joseph, who did the early damage after Jamaica chose to bat, finished with three wickets for 40 runs from 11 overs, and Guyana captain Eugene La Fleur, bowling his left-arm spin, took three for 73 from 24 overs.
Creary, whose previous hundred at this level was 101 against Barbados last year, had one chance when he was dropped off La Fleur on 111, as the ball was deflected for a six by Royan Fredricks fielding on the boundary.
Creary did not capitalise on his luck and was dismissed in the same over with the score on 260.
Left-hander Perry, who scored his maiden half-century in the first round against Trinidad & Tobago, played several enterprising shots before he was eventually caught behind, as La Fleur brought Guyana back into the game in the final session with wickets in successive overs.
Taken at gully
Earlier, Jamaica lost their first two wickets in the fourth over with the score on 10, when the left-handed Nick Blackwood was taken at gully for four off the lively Joseph, who then had Courtney Allen caught behind off his glove for a duck.
Dilon Heyliger shared the new ball with Joseph after senior pacer Leon Scott, nursing a sore back, was given a rest.
Heyliger was elegantly cover-driven for four by Creary, and Young West Indies player Horace Miller, who hit an explosive hundred against Guyana in the limited-overs final last year in St. Kitts, pulled Joseph for six in the next over as the Jamaicans counter-attacked.
Creary greeted La Fleur with an exquisite extra cover-driven boundary before sweeping him for another.
Joseph, arguably the quickest bowler in the tournament, induced Miller to glove a hook to the keeper to leave Jamaica on 44 for three.
AT PINELANDS: Barbados, replying to Leeward Islands' first innings total of 146, reached 111 for three when stumps were drawn.
Scores: Leeward Islands 146 (Jahmar Hamilton 51, Shernyl Burns 29, Chesney Hughes 21; Jason Holder 3-20, Shad Simmons 3-32, Dario Vaughan 2-40).
Barbados 111 for three (Kyle Corbin 55, Roston Chase 27 not out; Kenroy David 2-30).
AT COMBERMERE SCHOOL: Trinidad & Tobago, sent in to bat, reached 301 for eight againt the Windward Islands in their first innings when stumps were drawn.SCORES: Trinidad and Tobago 202 for three (Kjorn Ottley 109, Marc Panchu 55, Yannick Cariah 46, Adrian Barath 42; Audley Alexander 3-92, Kerron Cottoy 2-100).
