KINGSTON, Jamaica, CMC – Current leaders Jamaica claimed first innings points over Trinidad & Tobago, despite Daren Ganga’s second hundred of the season in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday.
The T&T captain anchored the top half of his side’s batting with a purposeful 103, but the visitors were dismissed for 279, replying to Jamaica’s first innings total of 356, about half-hour before tea on the third day at Sabina Park.
Ganga struck one-dozen fours and a six in his 221-ball innings that lasted closed to 5 ½ hours, and shared a 92-run, fourth wicket stand with his brother Sherwin.
After the younger Ganga was dismissed for 48, the T&T innings went into swift decline, with the visitors losing their last seven wickets for 43 runs.
Marlon Samuels then scored 39 and Brendan Nash was not out on 33 to lead three-time defending champions Jamaica to 116 for three at the close for an overall lead of 193.
Samuels, the season’s leading batsman, was fortunate that wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin dropped him on two off Shannon Gabriel when he came to the wicket, after opener Danza Hyatt was caught behind for three in the third over of the innings.
He also put 47 for the second wicket with Simon Jackson, who was caught behind down the leg-side off Sherwin Ganga for 26 to leave Jamaica 51 for two.
But Samuels consolidated for Jamaica in a third-wicket stand of 60 with West Indies left-hander Brendan Nash before off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth had him caught at long-off.
Earlier, T&T started the day on 172 for three, and the two Gangas continued to coast, with the elder Ganga hammering a four through mid-wicket and lofting a six over long-off off leg-spinner Odean Brown to take his side over the 200-run threshold.
Jamaica claimed the second new ball, when it became due, but the elder Ganga was in reach of his hundred, and duly reached the milestone from 204 balls, with a cut off Andrew Richardson over the slips for four.
The Jamaicans suffered a setback, when Jerome Taylor failed to complete his 18th over, and limped off the field, but Wavell Hinds, plying his undervalued medium-pace, made the breakthrough, when the elder Ganga was caught at gully.
His younger brother followed about five minute before lunch, when he was caught behind for 48, as T&T reached 248 for five at the interval.
After lunch, wickets fell for T&T at regular intervals, with Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert gaining success from unexpected sources.
Richardson was the most successful Jamaican bowler with three wickets for 47 runs from 20 overs, Nash prised out two for 11 from 6.2 overs, and Bernard scalped two for 30 from 15 overs.
Over the last decade, Jamaica have dominated the visitors in the regional first-class championship, winning nine of the last 14 matches, including one in each of the last three years.
In addition, there have only been two draws in that same period, and the Jamaicans have gained first innings points in each.
