THE VALLEY, CMC:
JAMAICA AND the Leewards Islands played out a tame draw in their first round Carib Beer 2003 Cricket Series match, which turned out to be primarily a first innings encounter at the Ronald Webster Park yesterday.
At the end, the Leewards were 167 for three in their second innings after they had bowled out Jamaica for 444, in reply to their first innings 357.
Alex Adams and Sylvester Joseph cracked entertaining late afternoon half-centuries for the Leewards before the game was called off at 4.15 p.m. Eastern Caribbean Time, with six points going to Jamaica for first innings honours, and three to the Leewards.
Starting the day on 403 for eight, Jamaica frustrated the home team until half and hour before lunch, due mainly to the efforts of former Test player Nehemiah Perry and number 11 batsman Ryan Cunningham.
Perry, 14 overnight, batted 128 minutes in all and faced 94 balls in making 32, while Cunningham got 17 before he was caught behind, driving at seamer Tonito Willett's only ball of the match that ended the innings.
Off-spinner Omari Banks had removed Darren Powell -- soon after the start of play -- caught at forward short leg by Ian Tittle, after Powell (24) had added just four to his overnight score.
For the Leewards, pacer Kerry Jeremy returned figures of three for 79 off 26 overs, while Banks snared three for 122 off 70 overs, the most overs bowled by a Leewards player in an innings, since Noel Guishard bowled 75 overs against Guyana in 1987.
Off-spinner Alex Adams (2-45), pacer Adam Sanford (1-110) and slow medium Willett (1-0) were the other wicket-takers for the Leewards.
The Leewards returned from lunch at two without loss and Alex Adams and Junie Mitchum took the score to 74 before Mitchum, playing across the line, drove Perry to Brenton Parchment at short mid-wicket.
Adams entertained the small crowd, as he struck pacer Franklyn Rose for three fours in his fifth over -- a cover drive, an off drive and a square cut.
His half-century came off 58 deliveries, laced with 10 fours.
From a tea-time position of 106 for one, with Adams on 60 and Sylvester Joseph 21, the Leewards lost the Anguillian opener shortly after the break, trapped leg before wicket by pacer Darren Powell, after adding five to his tea time score.
Joseph accelerated with numerous shots as he added 55 with Willett, who was bowled by Rose for 20, at which point the match was called off 45 minutes before the scheduled close.
Joseph was unbeaten on 56, which included three sixes, two off Perry, and four fours.
Powell (1-29), Perry (1-34) and Rose (1-45), shared the wickets for Jamaica, last year's Busta Cup champions and International Shield runners-up.
In the second round this weekend, the Jamaicans will be at home to the Windward Islands, and the Leewards will face Guyana in St.Kitts.
SCOREBOARD
Leewards 1st innings 357
(O.Banks 75; D.Bernard 4-101)
Jamaica 1st innings (overnight 403 for 8):
L.Garrick c Adams b Jeremy 58
B.Parchment c wk Simmonds b Sanford 12
D.Pagon c Tittle b Banks 11
R.Samuels c Sanford b Adams 45
D.Bernard c Adams b Banks 91
M.Ventura st Simmonds b Adams 37
+K.Hibbert c Williams b Jeremy 81
N.Perry not out 32
D.Powell c Tittle b Banks 24
R.Cunningham c wkp Simmonds b Willett 17
Extras (b13, lb9, w1, nb11) 34
TOTAL (all out - 179.1 overs) 444
Fall of wickets: 1-23, 2-70, 3-87, 4-214, 5-242, 6-357, 7-366, 8-369, 9-411.
Bowling: Jeremy 26-4-79-3 (9nb); Sanford 30-5-110-1 (1nb); Simons 24-6-66-0
(1w); Banks 70-22-122-3; Adams 29-13-45-2; Willett 0.1-0-0-1.
Leewards 2nd Innings:
A.Adams lbw Powell 65
J.Mitchum c Parchment b Perry 22
S.Joseph not out 56
T.Willet b Rose 20
Extras (lb4) 4
TOTAL (for 3 wickets) 167
Fall of wickets: 1-74, 2-112, 3-167.
Bowling: Rose 7.3-1-45-1, Powell 11-4-29-1, Bernard 7-2-17-0, Perry 15-3-34-1, Cunningham 12-2-38-0
Result: Match drawn.
Points: Jamaica 6, Leewards 3
Umpires: Eddie Nicholls (Guyana), Wycliffe Mitchum (Leewards)
Match Referee: Timothy Hodge (Anguilla)
Toss: Jamaica
