Courtney Allen

Needing to win outright and hope that Guyana upset Trinidad and Tobago on first innings or outright, Jamaica were in a commanding position against defending champions Barbados in their crucial final-round three-day TCL Group WICB U-19 clash at Kensington Park.

Winning the toss and choosing to bat, Jamaica closed yesterday's first day on 301-2, with Tacky High opener John Campbell stroking an impressive 99, and stand-in captain Paul Palmer Jr, 70 not out, and Courtnay Allen, 66 not out.

Campbell, who is a West Indies Under-15 representative, and at 15 years old is the youngest member on Jamaica's team, hit 12 immaculately-timed fours, and a six, and shared in a 147-run opening stand with Brian Clarke, who made 50.

key encounter

The day's other key encounter between title-favourites Trinidad and Tobago and second-from-bottom Guyana at Elletson Road, in the meanwhile, is evenly poised with Trinidad, in reply to Guyana's respectable first-innings total of 228, closing at 68-2.

Guyana's middle order batsman, Jonathan Foo, top-scored with 50, while Kissoondath Magram ended as Trinidad's leading wicket taker, 3-40.

The Leeward Islands versus Windward Islands clash, which is purely of academic interest, saw the latter closing at 409-7 with Rudolph Paul, 61, Kaven Hodge, 52, John Swaby, 49 not out, getting most runs against Yannick Leonard, 2-70.

Jamaica have 36 points, six less than Trinidad, who defeated them in their first outcome, and would claim the championship via head-to-head result should both teams end on the same amount of points.