NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Jamal Hamilton slammed a century for the Leeward Islands against Guyana as their regional four-day match petered out into a tame draw on the fourth day yesterday.
Hamilton scored a defiant 106 as Leewards, resuming from an overnight 240 for six, piled up a second innings score of 322 to smother Guyana’s push to pull off an outright victory.
Guyana set a winning target of 225, were 173 for six when stumps were drawn.
Hamilton, resuming from his overnight score of 41, cracked fourteen fours as he labored through a rescue mission started by Montcin Hodge (52) after Guyana had snatched first innings lead.
His innings which lasted for 244 minutes helped swing the momentum back in Leewards’ favour and set the stage for a daring run chase by the Guyanese players.
Tonito Willet hit six fours to reach 33 runs before he was caught by wicketkeeper Derwin Christian from a Christopher Barnwell delivery as tail enders rallied with Hamilton to add about a hundred runs for the last four wickets.
Captain Veerasammy Permaul led efforts to restrict the Leewards’ run flow capturing five wickets for 73 runs including 15 maiden overs.
A half century from Leon Johnson highlighted Guyana’s ambition to chase the 225 run target but the loss of frontline batsmen set back their plans.
Johnson pushed the total along hitting four fours and two sixes.
However when two wickets fell quickly Guyana limped from 82 for two to 137 for four and later lost another two wickets for the addition of only ten runs as the prospect of stealing an outright victory faded.
