By Tym Glaser, Associate Editor - Sport 
Jamaica's Danza Hyatt plays the ball during his second innings knock of 63 in their Carib Beer Series match against Trinidad and Tobago at Alpart Sports Club yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
ST. ELIZABETH:
DESPITE THEMSELVES, Jamaica claimed first innings points over Trinidad and Tobago at Alpart yesterday to consolidate their position at the top of the Carib Beer Series standings.
At stumps on the penultimate day, Jamaica were 144 for three - boasting an overall lead of 157.
Barring a tremendous collapse on today's final day or an overly ambitious declaration, Jamaica will take home six more points from a likely draw to advance their table-topping tally to 54, while second-placed Trinidad and Tobago will add three more to their total of 24.
Playing a man short due to the departure of batsman Shazam Babwah, who flew back to his home country on Thursday after his father's death, the visitors, chasing Jamaica's first innings score of 316, fell just short after a game rearguard action for 303.
Optimistic Jamaica skipper Tamar Lambert believes the home side can press for its fifth straight victory today.
"We have to come out early tomorrow and play some positive cricket and put Trinidad under pressure," Lambert said. "We need to get about 240-250 and then have a go at them," he said.
The captain also defended the team's use of spin bowlers to open proceedings yesterday instead of taking the new ball.
GOOD TACTIC
"It was a good tactic. Trinidad played some shots this morning and got away with them but the spinners bowled well and were unlucky. The wicket is turning now and the bounce is uneven, so I think we have a good chance for another win tomorrow."
Sam Badree (17) and Rayad Amrit (0) took up Trinidad's task of chasing down first innings points yesterday with the scoreboard reading 217-5.
With the new ball overdue and pacemen Daren Powell and Dwight Washington fresh and chomping at the bit, Jamaica's cricket hierarchy opted to keep the old ball and open with spinners Bevon Brown and Nikita Miller.
After about 40 minutes of play, the tailenders had got their eyes in and had pushed the total to 280 and well within striking distance of first innings honours. This followed on from an ordinary performance on Thursday in which the hosts dropped four catches and bowled almost two overs of no balls which included two potential wickets.
Badree (55) brought up his half century soon after a long-overdue request for the new ball with a lusty swipe which went to third man for four off Daren Powell, but soon perished when the same bowler had him caught at third slip by substitute fielder Lorenzo Ingram, fending off a nasty lifting delivery at 285.
The patient Emrit (25) fell in the next over, trapped leg before by Dwight Washington.
Dave Mohammed hung around for a reasonably long time for his duck - caught by Brenton Parchment off Powell at 291, which left hard-hitting lefty Richard Kelly and final batsman Kyron Lynch chasing the tantalising target.
Soon after lunch, Lynch (two) played all around a straight delivery from David Bernard and left Kelly stranded on 14.
Four Jamaican bowlers claimed two wickets: Powell, Washington, Miller and Brown.
BENIGN PITCH
Seeking to consolidate, and probably already accepting the fact the game was likely to peter out to a tame draw today on a benign pitch, Parchment and Donovan Pagon reached 19 before the former was caught by Imran Jan in the slips off Emrit for 11.
Impressive youngster Danza Hyatt then joined first innings centurion Pagon and they put on a brisk 113 for the second wicket before Pagon (five fours, one six) was softened up by Kelly and then dismissed through a fine diving catch at first slip to Jan for 57.
That wicket seemed to cause a lapse in concentration from the well-set Hyatt (63, seven fours, one six) as he fell soon after to Emrit, well-taken by skipper Daren Ganga.
Nightwatchman Powell, dropped at long leg just a few overs before stumps attempting a hook (seven), and Lambert (one) saw the team through to stumps.
Jamaica were without the services of 'keeper Carlotn Baugh yesterday due to a sprained left little finger and the glovework was taken over by Keith Hibbert. Baugh will bat if required.
SCOREBOARD
Jamaica first innings 316
Trinidad and Tobago first innings (Resumed at 217-5)
S. Badree c Ingram b Powell 55
R. Emrit lbw Washington 25
R. Kelly not out 14
D. Mohammed c Parchment b Powell
K. Lynch b Bernard 2
Extras: (b8, lb6, nb13) 27
TOTAL: (for nine wkts - 120.1 overs) 303
Fall: 18, 43, 158, 168, 217, 285, 285, 290, 303
Bowling: Powell: 29-6-83-2, Washington 21-4-32-2, Bernard 18.1-1-65-1, Miller 22-7-45-2, Brown 28-3-62-2, Lambert 2-1-2-0.
Jamaica second innings
B. Parchment c Jan b Emrit 11
D. Pagon c Jan b Kelly 57
D. Hyatt c D. Ganga b Emrit 63
D. Powell not out 7
T. Lambert not out 1
Extras: (b1, lb4) 5
TOTAL: (for three wkts - 50 overs) 144
Fall: 19, 132, 136
Bowling: Kelly 10-1-35-1, Emrit 11-1-30-2, Lynch 8-4-17-0, Badree 9-1-23-0, Mohammed 7-0-22-0, S. Ganga 5-1-9-0.
