- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Nehemiah Perry's XI batsman Mario Ventura hitting out against fast bowler Jerome Taylor during the Jamaica Cricket Association's final practice match at Sabina Park yesterday. Ventura made 69.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
MAURICE Kepple and Mario Ventura completed half centuries while fast bowler Jerome Taylor continued to press his case for selection with a four-wicket haul at the end of day two of the Jamaica Cricket Association's (JCA) final practice match at Sabina Park yesterday.
Leon Garrick, who started yesterday's second day on 114, Kepple, 78, and Ventura, 69, combined to post 404 for seven as Nehemiah Perry's XI closed the day in a healthy position against Robert Samuels' XI.
Taylor, 18, who took five for 53 in the last match, the only five-wicket haul in the four preparation matches, was again impressive yesterday, taking four for 68 off 24 overs.
Taylor, fresh from a West Indies fast-bowling camp in Antigua, could have completed another five-wicket haul if Xavier Marshall and Lorenzo Ingram had held onto chances which went their way. The 16-year-old Marshall failed to take a regulation bat pad catch from Perry (six not out) while Ingram put down Matthew Sinclair (11 not out) at gully.
Resuming at 192 for two, Perry's XI lost Garrick before lunch, after just adding 10 to his overnight score. Garrick who topped the Jamaica aggregate last year edged a Taylor delivery to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jr who did the rest. He batted for 435 minutes and hit eight fours in his 327-ball knock and was involved in the innings' biggest partnership, a 187-run third wicket stand with Kepple.
Shortly after the lunch break, Kepple's 266-ball knock came to an end, caught behind off spinner Nicarlo McFarlane (1-57).
At that stage, Ventura and David Bernard (43) again held up Samuels' XI in a 91-run fifth wicket partnership, which took them to tea. However Frankyln Rose (1-45) and Taylor made sure that both batsmen will watch from the pavilion when play begins this morning at 10:00.
