ROSEAU, Dominica, CMC:
CAPTAIN ROBERT Samuels smashed a majestic unbeaten century and Ryan Cunningham grabbed five late afternoon wickets for Jamaica to tighten their squeeze on West Indies B on the second day of their Busta Cup fifth round match at the botanical Gardens yesterday.
Jamaica, on the back of 106 not out by Samuels, and Friday's Leon Garrick century (138), powered to 462 for seven declared, and the West Indies B were under pressure at stumps on 148 for seven in reply.
Young Barbadian Patrick Browne got an attractive 43 for West Indies B, but Cunningham, a left-arm spinner, sensationally secured three quick wickets before stumps for figures of five for 31 off 15 testing overs, putting the Jamaicans even more firmly on top.
Samuels and Cunningham had earlier produced an imposing 137-run seventh wicket stand that deflated the West Indies B bowlers in the morning session.
Resuming from their overnight score of 318 for six, Samuels and Cunningham flogged the young bowling attack and sped past the 400-mark before off-spinner Chaka Hodge had Cunningham caught by Kenroy Martin at cover for 35 as the left-hander tried to force the score along.
Cunningham struck two fours, and also hit sixes over long-on and mid-wicket in his best first-class knock.
The left-handed Samuels, who played six Test matches for the West Indies, rediscovered his attacking style and was just one short of his century at the lunch break after an imperious display of aggression.
Samuels quickly achieved a 121-ball hundred after the break and immediately declared his team's innings just four minutes into the post-lunch session. He batted 148 minutes for his century while hitting six fours and a whopping seven sixes.
Pacer Ryan Nurse (3-88) and Hodge (2-109) were the top wicket-takers for the regional 'Development Team', while leg-spinner Camilus Alexander (1-71) and left-arm spinner Anderson Sealy (1-97) also got wickets.
Tournament leaders Jamaica were detained in the field without success in the post-lunch session until the penultimate over before tea, when Krishna Arjune attacked off-spinner Gareth Breese and was caught at long on by Jermaine Lawson for 36, including four fours and a six.
West Indies B dipped suddenly from their tea-time score of 55 for one, to 65 for three, when they lost Satish Naidoo and Shane Jeffers to Cunningham.
Naidoo (three) edged to Chris Gayle at first slip and Samuels caught Jeffers (21) when the Kittitian mistimed a sweep shot and diverted the ball to slip.
Breese (2-66) then held a return catch to dislodge Martin for 24 with one six and a four, ending a 48-run fourth-wicket stand with Browne, and just before the close, Cunningham struck with three sensational lbw decisions to leave West Indies B reeling.
Browne, who toured England with the West Indies Under-19s last year, missed an attempted on-drive and was adjudged lbw just seven short of a half century at 143 for five. The 20-year-old hit six boundaries.
Five runs later, captain Roland Holder also trying to work the ball through the on-side was struck in front, and next ball, Antonio Mayers was also struck in front, last ball of the day to leave Cunningham on a hat-trick.
West Indies B resume today a daunting 314 runs behind, and - with only three wickets in hand.
SCOREBOARD
Jamaica first innings
(Resumed at 318-6)
R. Samuels not out 106
R. Cunningham c Martin b Hodge 35
M. Ventura not out 6
Extras (b12, lb6, nb12) 30
TOTAL (for seven wkts dec. 123 overs) 462
Fall: 1-25, 2-113, 3-249, 4-269, 5-305, 6-309, 7-437.
Bowling: Nurse 23-2-88-3; Mayers 24-3-79-0 (2nb); Hodge 31-6-109-2; Sealy 29-5-97-1; Alexander 16-0-71-1 (6nb).
West Indies B first innings
K. Arjune c Lawson b Breese 36
S. Jeffers c Samuels b Cunningham 21
S. Naidoo c Gayle b Cunningham 3
P. Browne lbw Cunningham 43
K. Martin c&b Breese 24
R. Holder lbw Cunningham 17
A. Mayers lbw Cunningham 0
C. Hodge not out 0
Extras (lb3, nb1) 4
TOTAL (for seven wkts) 148
Fall: 1-53, 2-58, 3-65, 4-113, 5-143, 6-148, 7-148.
Bowling: Powell 5-2-10-0; Lawson 4-0-16-0; Williams 7-4-4-0; Breese 21-2-66-2; Hinds 3-0-4-0; Cunningham 15-5-31-5; Gayle 10-3-14-0 (1nb).
