An emphatic century from Leroy Lugg buoyed by a gritty half-century from Odaine McCatty gave defending champs Jamaica a 20-run lead against the Windwards heading into the final day of their match in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) regional U-19 three-day tournament.
Playing at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, the West Indies U-19 opener batted for a gruelling 329 minutes, grafting a composed 109 from 261 deliveries littered with 11 fours and one six as he became the seventh batsman to score a century in the tournament. Lugg also shared a crucial opening stand of 133 with fellow opener McCatty
who cracked a solid 70 inclusive of 11 fours, while middle-order batsman Nicholas Walters chipped in with a valuable 34.
At stumps, Jamaica were firmly placed at 272 for 6 in 98 overs, replying to the Windwards first innings score of 252 with Captain Ramaal Lewis (16*) and Ryon Burnett (4*) at the crease. Bowling for the Windwards, Deron Hypolite (2-55), Gidron Pope (2-64), Doran Edwards (1-37) and Sherman Lewis (1-23) were the most successful bowlers.
Resuming their innings at 5-0, Lugg and McCatty launched an all-out attack on the Windwards as they piled on runs during the morning session and after the lunch break. Both players were aggressive in their innings, playing classy and authoritative shots against the opposition who at one point utilized six bowlers to no avail.
McCatty was the first to reach his half-century minutes before lunch and looked well on course to what would have been a merited century before he was removed by Pope in the 43rd over after he was caught by Windwards skipper Roland Cato, breaking his 134-minute stay at the crease.
Lugg continued his merry way soon reaching his half-century as he and Walters sought to clear the deficit going into tea. The final session of the afternoon saw Lewis striking in the third over after tea when Walters popped a catch back to him which he expertly held onto.
Shahid Crooks (14) was the next to go, caught and bowled this time by Edwards as the Jamaicans crept closer to their target of 252. With the score at 233 for 3, Lugg who batted sensibly throughout the day brought up his century with a streaky tickle down the leg side which trickled down towards the fine-leg boundary, a milestone he celebrated in sedate fashion.
A cluster of wickets near the close of play saw Romaine Morris (4) being trapped LBW by Pope while the centurion Lugg became the third caught and bowled victim when he provided Hypolite with a simple return catch. Hypolite then got rid of Mark Parchment for 2 leaving the champs at 256 for 6, leading by two runs.
The action continues today at 10:00am.
