JAMAICA INCHED closer to a spot in the semi-finals of the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 three-day championship after taking valuable first innings points off Barbados in their match at Elletson Road yesterday.
The eight points won gave the hosts sole possession of the lead in Zone A with 24 points from two matches, four ahead of Barbados' 20, followed by the Windward Islands on eight and Rest of Americas on four.
Final scores: Jamaica 286 (Zeniffe Fowler 86, Steve Pinder 5-65) and 163 for nine declared; Barbados 226 (Orman Kellman 62 not out, Renaldo Parris 58) and 24 without loss.
Starting the day on 204 for six and in need of another 65 runs for first innings lead, Alton Beckford produced career best figures of four for 69 to cut down Barbados 60 runs short of Jamaica's total, despite Orman Kellman's defiant knock of 62 not out (7x4, 1x6).
With only two sessions to play and first innings points already in the bag, instead of going for batting practice, Jamaica went out hunting quick runs. Xavier Marshall, 47, and Yanick Elliott, seven, put on 25 for the first wicket, but Jamaica slipped to 31 for two.
Elliott was bowled by paceman Ruel Brathwaite and six runs later, first innings top-scorer Zeniffe Fowler, three, fell Leg Before Wicket to Kevin Stoute. Although he was more patient in a 34-run third wicket stand with Marshall, captain Jamie Trenchfield, continued his miserable outing, falling to catch off left-arm spinner Steve Pinder for only five.
Wayne Morgan, 16, joined Marshall but after putting together 21 for the fourth wicket, the former played the ball back at Renaldo Parris, who did well to hold on to a very good catch.
MIDDLE ORDER CRUMBLES
With Marshall and Elliott gone, the middle order crumbled yet again. In the end, apart from Albert Gopie who hit one four and a six in making 29 and Denva Passley, who whose 21 included two fours and two sixes, the middle failed to offer any worthwhile contribution.
Pinder finished with 3-28 off 11.5 overs and Parris 3-48 from 14 overs.
Set an improbable 224 to win in 16 overs, Barbados' opened with hard-hitting batsmen Nicholas Squires, five, and Nicholas Stanford, 19, but after eight overs, both captains decided to call off the match.
