Jamaica's captain Tamar Lambert plays forward cautiously against the spin of Veerasammy Permaul (out of photo) on yesterday's first day of their WIBC Regional Four-day Championship fixture against Guyana at Jarrett Park in Montego Bay. - photo by Adrian Frater
Western Bureau: Champions Jamaica, behind a captain's knock of 90 by skipper Tamar Lambert and a cracking half century by wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr, enjoyed a relatively good first day against Guyana, in the WIBC Regional Four-day Championship match at Jarrett Park yesterday
Invited to bat after Guyana won the toss, Jamaica, which will be presented with the George Headley/Everton Weekes Trophy for winning this year's competition, batted all day to amass 294 for four wickets.
batsmen's performance
David Bernard Jr and Carlton Baugh Jr were the not-out batsmen on 32 and 50, respectively.
"It was a pretty decent performance, although we might have lost a wicket or two too many," said Jamaica's coach Junior Bennett. "This is a good foundation and we will be seeking to build on it tomorrow."
Opening the batting for Jamaica, Brenton Parchment and Danza Hyatt posted 47 for the first wicket before Parchment, who had begun to show signs of impatience, flashed at a delivery from fast bowler Christopher Barnwell and fell to a catch by Davendra Bishoo for 18.
Donovan Pagon joined Hyatt at the crease but after scoring 10, he edged a delivery from spinner Veerasammy Permaul and was caught behind by wicketkeeper Derwin Christian, making the score 66 for two.
Hyatt and skipper Tamar Lambert then took the score to 94 for two at lunch, with Hyatt unbeaten on 41 and Lambert on 12.
On the resumption, Hyatt and Lambert took the total past the 100 mark without further loss as the partnership between them climbed past 50 in 49 minutes off 75 balls.
Hyatt soon had personal reasons to celebrate as he finally got to his first 50 of the season, which included six fours and came off 116 balls.
The post-lunch session was most productive as the partnership grew to yield 129 runs.
It ended on the stroke of tea as with the score on 195, Hyatt fell to a beautiful low catch at cover by Leon Johnson off Barnwell for 69. His knock included eight fours.
Lambert went into the break unbeaten on 74.
worthy partner
On the resumption, the skipper found a worthy partner in Bernard and they delighted the crowd of predominantly school children with some scintillating strokes, as the 200 came up in 250 minutes off 263 balls.
However, with the score on 227, Lambert got out in the 90s for the second game in succession, caught behind off-spinner Davendra Bishoo for 90. His knock, which included 15 fours and a six, came off 153 deliveries in 206 minutes. He lingered on 90 for 18 minutes before he was dismissed.
The attacking Baugh joined Bernard and they took the score past 250 as the diminutive Baugh launched a blistering attack on the Guyana bowlers.
Baugh got to 50 off 48 balls as he overtook Bernard and marched to yet another half century in what has been a very productive season for him.
Barnwell was the top bowler for Guyana with two wickets for 57 runs off 18 overs. Permaul and Bishoo got a wicket each.
AT THE VALLEY, Anguilla: The Leeward Islands, electing to bat against Trinidad and Tobago, reached 290 for nine at the close of the opening day of their 13th-round match at the Ronald Webster Park yesterday.
SCORES: LEEWARDS 290-9 (Kieran Powell 57, Steve Liburd 40, Devon Thomas 37, Wilden Cornwall 32 not out, Codville Rogers 30; Amit Jaggernauth 5-72).
AT CAVE HILL, Barbados: Combined Campuses & Colleges, replying to Barbados' first-innings total of 235, reached 27 without loss at the close on the opening day of their 13th-round match at the Three Ws Oval.
Scores: BARBADOS 235 (Kraigg Brathwaite 73, Ryan Hinds 58, Dwayne Smith 23; Anderson Sealy 4-66, Ryan Austin 2-79); COMBINED CAMPUSES & COLLEGES 27 without loss.