Leeward Islands skipper Steve Liburd celebrates scoring a century against Jamaica on the opening day of their WICB Regional Four-day Championship match at Sabina Park yesterday. - Ian Allen/Staff Photographer

Defending champions Jamaica have put themselves in a good position to claim first-innings point against the Leeward Islands, as replying to the men from the Eastern Caribbean's first-innings score of 221, they were 47-1 when stumps were drawn on yesterday's first day of their WICB Regional Four-day Championship match, at Sabina Park.

The Jamaicans, who lead the overall championship standings ahead of Barbados and are seeking to consolidate their position, bowled their way into a position of strength through in-form leg-spinner Gavin Wallace and pacer Andrew Richardson, who both claimed three wickets each.

Wallace, who claimed career-best figures of 8-20 when the teams met in the first round of the competition, again bowled with prodigious bounce and turn to claim 3-49, while Richardson, who has been Jamaica's lead pacer throughout the competition, snared 3-59.

Batted with responsibility

Middle-order batsman Steve Liburd, playing in his first match as Leeward Islands captain, batted with responsibility to rescue his team from a disastrous position of 29-5, to score his maiden first-class hundred, a breathtaking 116 not out.

The 24-year-old Liburd, tall and burly, a vice-captain of the West Indies team when they won the Cost Cutter Under-15 World Cup in 2000, slammed four huge sixes and six fours in an exquisite knock, which lasted 143 balls in just over three hours.

"We had a very good day, although we could have fielded better as we dropped a few catches," said Jamaica's captain Tamar Lambert. "But having said that, we can't really complain or fault our bowlers, as on a very good batting strip, they were able to take 10 wickets for a reasonable total.

"We just now want to consolidate by trying to bat once and putting up a total of over 400," added Lambert.

After winning the toss and inserting the Leewards who were without their top batsman and captain, Runarko Morton, and leading bowler, Anthony Martin - both dropped for disciplinary reasons - Jamaica had reason to smile as, after the first hour of play, thanks to a fiery spell of bowling from Richardson and opening-ball partner, David Bernard Jr (2-28), they had the Leewards on the ropes at 29-5.

But thanks to Liburd, with former West Indies Under-19 wicketkeeper batsman, 19-year-old Devon Thomas (37), with whom he shared an 85-run sixth-wicket stand, and pacer Gavin Tonge, with whom he shared a 57-run 10th- wicket stand, as well as a series of dropped catches, the Leewards were able to recover to post a respectable total.

"I feel quite elated to get my first hundred after getting starts in the past and not carrying on," said Liburd, who captained the Leewards at the youth level and was handed the captaincy ahead of former captain, Omari Banks. "The team was in a crisis and I had to apply myself and while we are not in a great position, it (century) was able to put us in a good position," he declared.

Opener Xavier Marshall, who was dropped from the West Indies team after the first Test against England and failed to impress in Jamaica's last two games, fell for a second-ball duck. Playing at a Tonge delivery pitched wide of the off stump, Marshall was caught behind by Thomas with the score on one.

Not out

Opener Brenton Parchment and Donovan Pagon, who are both not out on 22, will resume for the Jamaicans today.

AT PROVIDENCE, Guyana: Guyana, replying to the Windward Islands' first-innings score of 215, reached 73 for two at the close of the opening day of their eighth-round WICB Regional Four-day match at the National Stadium yesterday.

SCORES:

WINDWARDS 215 (André Fletcher 53, Keddy Lesporis 47, Kevin James 31; Veerasammy Permaul 3-58, Chris Barnwell 2-14, Esaun Crandon 2-29, Davendra Bishoo 2-43).

GUYANA 73-2 (Chris Barnwell 19; Darren Sammy 1-15, Deighton Butler 1-22).

AT POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trini-dad (CMC): Trinidad and Tobago (T&T), electing to bat against Barbados, reached 333 for five at the close on the opening day of their eighth-round WICB Regional four-day match at Guaracara Park yesterday.

Scores: T&T 333 for five (Daren Bravo 111, Kieron Pollard 110 not out, Lendl Simmons 44, Adrian Barath 20; Corey Collymore 2-54) vs Barbados.

LEEWARD 1st Innings

M Hodge lbw b Bernard 9

A Richards c wkp Hibbert b Richardson 0

S Jeffers c (sub) Hyatt b Richardson 7

T Willet c Pagon b Richardson 0

O Banks b Bernard 7

S Liburd not out 116

+D Thomas c Marshall b Wallace 37

W Cornwall c Brown b Wallace 3

J Athanaze c Lambert b Brown 8

A Willett c Bernard b Wallace 4

G Tonge c Richardson b Miller 18

Extras (b4, lb2, w1, nb5) 12

TOTAL (all out, 66.2 overs) 221

Fall of wickets: 1-9, 2-17, 3-20, 4-29, 5-29, 6-114, 7-118, 8-139, 9-164, 10-221.

Bowling: Richardson 12-1-59-3, Bernard 10-3-28-2, Hinds 5-1-14-0, Miller 11.2-2-21-1, Brown 15-4-39-1, Wallace 11-1-49-3, Lambert 2-0-5-0.

JAMAICA 1st Innings

D Pagon not out 22

X Marshall c wkp Thomas b Cornwall 0

B Parchment not out 22

Extras (lb1, nb2) 3

TOTAL (1 wkt, 21 overs) 47

Fall of wickets: 1-1.

To bat:Tamar Lambert, Wavell Hinds, Dave Bernard, +Keith Hibbert, Odean Brown, Nikita Miller, Andrew Richardson, Gavin Wallace.

Bowling: Tonge 5-2-9-0, Cornwall 6-0-19-1, Athanaze 6-3-9-0, T Willett 4-1-9-0.

Position: Jamaica trail by 174 runs.

Toss: Jamaica.

Umpires: Leebert Thompson, Peter Nero.