KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Resurgent Jamaica seized control of their fourth-round TCL Group West Indies Three-day Cup Under-19 match against Windward Islands and were already building a first-innings lead yesterday.
Sent in to bat at the Jamaica Broilers Ground, the struggling Windwards plunged to an inadequate 131 all out and the Jamaicans reached 185 for four – a lead of 54 runs — at stumps after a solid half-century from opener Brian Clark.
Spinners Akeem Dewar and Patrick Harty combined for eight wickets to set the platform for the Jamaicans, who are on a two-game winning streak after losing their opening match to Trinidad and Tobago.
Coming off back-to-back wins over Guyana and the Leeward Islands, the Jamaicans kept up their momentum and pounced with a telling bowling performance in the morning session to leave the Windwards reeling at 89 for six at lunch.
Opener Hubert Joseph lashed 40 with four boundaries but wickets tumbled around him as pacer Nicholson Gordon combined with Dewar and Harty to rip out the entire top half of the Windwards’ batting. Gordon, who snared two for 23, cheaply dislodged opener Atticus Browne (4) and prolific Kavem Hodge (1) as the Windwards stumbled to 12 for two.
Joseph and Sunil Ambris (10) staged a mild recovery with a 42-run stand for the third wicket before left-arm spinner Harty got rid of Ambris and captain Dalton Polius (16) as the score dipped to 80 for four. Leg-spinner Dewar struck two more important blows before lunch to remove Joseph and Rudolph Paul (5).Wicket-keeper Casimir Benjamin, with 18 not out, and No.10 batsman Josh Thomas (10) helped drag the Windwards — after the lunch break — to their eventual total of 131 against four-wicket hauls by Dewar and Harty.
Dewar finished with four for 29 off 14 overs and Harty claimed four for 41 off 16.2 overs.
Openers Clark and John Campbell then gave the Jamaicans a sturdy start to their reply and they were already within 85 runs of first innings points at tea, reaching 47 without loss.
The pair posted 89 for the first wicket.
Clark belted 70 with 12 boundaries and the left-handed Campbell stroke 33.
Left-arm spinner Audy Alexander made dents in the Jamaica top-order by removing both openers and captain Paul Palmer for three. Courtney Allen stroked 36 not out to keep Jamaica in control although they lost Garth Garvey (35) off the penultimate ball of the day.
Alexander has so far picked up three for 49 off 14 overs.
