PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller’s seven-wicket haul broke Trinidad and Tobago Red Force’s spirit, and lifted Jamaica Franchise to a 38-run victory on the final day of their third round match here yesterday.
Chasing 239 for victory, T&T buckled under the weight of Miller’s seven for 63 and were all out for 201 at Queen’s Park Oval.
The win was Jamaica’s second in the new WICB Professional Cricket League while T&T suffered their first defeat.
Wicketkeeper Nicholas Pooran top-scored with 55, Akeal Hosein struck 35 not out and captain Rayad Emrit, 30, while opener Lendl Simmons chipped in with 27.
Resuming the day on 24 for one, T&T slumped to 84 for six just after lunch and seemed headed for an early defeat until the lower order put a fight.
Nightwatchman Marlon Richards failed to score, popping a catch off to Shacaya Thomas at short leg off left-arm seamer Sheldon Cottrell at 29 for two in the second over of the day.
Jamaica’s bowlers then tested Lendl Simmons’ patience with tight bowling, tying down the right-hander before Miller had him stumped in the same over in which he cleared the ropes for the only six of his 56-ball innings.
In his very next over, Miller had Jason Mohammed caught at slip without scoring by Jon-Ross Campbell off the second ball he faced, as T&T limped to 53 for four.
Pooran and Yannick Ottley (7) posted 31 for the fifth wicket to guide the visitors to 81 for four, when rain forced an early lunch.
However, Miller claimed Ottley and Steven Katwaroo (0) almost immediately on resumption but Pooran and Emrit stalled Jamaica’s progress with a defiant 65-run stand for the seventh wicket.
Pooran was his usual positive self, facing 86 balls and striking five fours and three sixes while Emrit was equally assured with four fours and a six off 48 deliveries.
The left-handed Pooran, who deposited Cottrell over long on for six in the lead up to his half-century, eventually holed out in the deep off Miller to end the stand and Emrit followed two overs later to leave T&T on 155 for eight.
Rain delays, coupled with successive stands of 25 between Hosein and Imran Khan (9) and 21 between Hosein and Daniel St Clair (5), threatened to derail Jamaica’s victory bid.
Hosein was the anchor, hammering four fours and a six off 57 balls.
But captain Tamar Lambert brought himself on and with his fifth delivery, had St Clair caught at the wicket.
Scoreboard
JAMAICA 1st Innings 173
T&T 1st Innings 131
JAMAICA 2nd Innings 196
T&T 2nd Innings (Target: 239)
L Simmons st Baugh b Miller 27
E Lewis c Thomas b Miller 10
M Richards c Thomas b Cottrell 0
Y Ottley c Campbell b Miller 16
J Mohammed c Campbell b Miller 0
N Pooran c Cottrell b Miller 55
+S Katwaroo c wkp Baugh Jr b Miller 0
*R Emrit c Bernard Jr b Miller 30
A Hosein not out 35
Imran Khan c Bernard Jr b Jacobs 9
D St Clair c wkp Baugh Jr b Lambert 5
Extras (b8, lb3, nb3) 14
TOTAL (all out, 66.5 overs) 201
Fall of wicket: 1-23, 2-29, 3-49, 4-53, 5-84, 6-84, 7-149, 8-155, 9-180, 10-201.
Bowling: Cottrell 13-3-46-1, Mindley 6-1-20-0, Miller 29-11-63-7, Jacobs 18-4-60-1, Lambert 0.5-0-1-1.
Result: Jamaica won by 38 runs.
Points: Jamaica 15, T&T 3.
Man-of-the-Match: Nikita Miller.
Toss: Jamaica.
Umpires: D Ramdhanie, N Duguid.
