LAUDERHILL, Florida, CMC – Marlon Samuels failed on his return to the national team but Jamaica still overpowered United States by 132 runs to win the first one-day match of the three-game series yesterday.
The right-handed Samuels got just 11 from 22 balls as Jamaica piled up 307 for four from their 50 overs thanks to half-centuries from Donovan Pagon, Danza Hyatt and captain Tamar Lambert.
In response, the USA slid to 175 all out with seven balls to spare, with Orlando Baker top scoring with 56 and left-arm pacer Krishmar Santokie capturing three for 11.
The match served as a comeback for Samuels who was slapped with a two-year ban for breaking International Cricket Council rules relating to “receiving money, benefit or other reward which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute”.
Playing at the Central Broward Regional Park, Pagon narrowly missed out on a century with 97 while Hyatt got 73 in a stand of 122 for the first wicket.
The right-handed Pagon, who played two Tests against South Africa five years ago, hit seven fours and a six off 133 balls while Hyatt had a similar boundary count off 84 balls.
Lambert then chipped in with 52 from 53 balls while the attacking Carlton Baugh slammed an unbeaten 48 from 30 balls with four fours and a six, in an up tempo 76 off 45 balls for the fourth wicket. Facing a daunting target, United States were quickly in trouble at 25 for three in the eighth over before Baker and Aditya Thyagarajan (39) put on 74 for the third wicket.
Once the partnership was broken, however, wickets fell regularly as the hosts slipped to defeat.
