By Anthony Foster, Freelance WriterDESPITE THE scarcity of runs in practice matches to help select Jamaica's team for upcoming regional four-day first class competition, national coach Robert Haynes believes that batsmen showed improvement in the second Jamaica Cricket Association's (JCA) game that ended in a draw at Kensington Park yesterday.
"Although batters did not score a lot of runs, they occupied the crease a bid longer," Haynes said. "What I need for them to do now is to learn to rotate the strike and pick up singles because it is important when you have a pitch playing uneven that you can cope with it.
"They showed that they could cope with it (pitch condition) but they were not looking to pick up the singles," he added.
Haynes, who played first class cricket for Jamaica, said the fast bowlers are doing well.
"They bowled straight and the spinners bowled exceptionally well because the pitch assisted them, the ball bounces and some balls kept low.
"However, what I think was more important although it was a low scoring game is that both teams did not get bowled out. It showed that these guys are improving, they are learning, especially with a lot of youngsters who will still have to work at their game," he explained.
Final scores in the second practice match, Samuels' XI 209 and 206; Rose's XI 177 and 129 for three when both captains called off the proceedings 16 minutes before the scheduled 5:00 p.m. close of play yesterday's fourth and final day. They were chasing 239 for victory.
From an overnight, 133 for five, Samuels' XI flourished with Nehemiah Perry, 36 leading the way in taking the score past the 200 mark. Left-arm spinner Phillip Keating, who tormented the batsmen on the third day, finished with three for 16 from 23 overs.
Keating got major support from fellow left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham (2-41 off 28.2 overs).
Danza Hyatt, 48, and Brenton Parchment, 27, shared in a 53-run opening stand before pacer Andrew Richardson (1-29) dislodged the latter. However, Hyatt found another useful partner in Shawn Findlay, the two adding 60 for the second wicket.
Playing the same attacking shot too many, Findlay was bowled and provided Perry (1-19) with his only wicket of the match.
Hyatt, who batted for 146 minutes and faced 105 deliveries, was last man out, caught and bowled by Ingram, leaving David Bernard Jr. on five.
Next up for the Jamaica hopefuls is a practice session at Melbourne Oval at 2:00 p.m. today and Haynes said the emphasis will be on spot bowling.
"The fast bowlers at times got carried away in the sense that their line was a bit too short or too full, so we need to do some extra work on that. Overall, there were signs of improvement from the first practice match."
"However, after Christmas when we play at Sabina Park where it is a better pitch, we expect the outfield to be better, then we will see what they are really made of. At that time it will be coming up to the final practice match and that's where they really need to lift their game," the coach said.
