Pagon ... 'Man of the Match' -FILE photoTym Glaser, Associate Editor Sport
ST. ELIZABETH:
JAMAICA MAINTAINED their perfect record in the Carib Beer Series regional cricket competition with a 143-run victory over Trinidad and Tobago in their fifth-round clash at Alpart Sports Ground yesterday.
With win No. 5, the hosts now boast 60 points and are all but assured of a berth in the regional tournament final.
Resuming yesterday at 144 for three, with nightwatchman Daren Powell not out on seven, and skipper Tamar Lambert on one, Jamaica advanced to a position of invincibility when they declared at lunch on 274 for six.
Powell (45 four fours) and Lambert (31) fell by the run out route pushing for quick runs, while David Bernard was caught behind by Dinesh Ramdin off Samuel Badree for eight.
Carlton Baugh, batting with a strained little finger, could take some of the blame for the run out of Powell, but he also provided the fireworks as Jamaica stepped up the pace late in the first session when they had batted themselves into a position of safety.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE MORNING
Baugh's sliced upper cut for six over point and a vicious pull for the same tally were the highlights of the morning session, as Trinidad's bowlers, particularly legpinner Badree, bowled negative lines to keep the scoring down.
Batting two men short, due to injury (Imran Jan) and absence because of a death in the family (Shazam Babwah), Trinidad's pursuit of 288 for an unlikely victory in two sessions, could not have got off to a worse start, when Lendl Simmons (seven) was caught at square leg by Bevon Brown off the bowling of Dwight Washington with the score at nine, and then in the next over from Daren Powell fellow opener Sherwin Ganga was struck a sickening blow to his helmet from a rising delivery, which continued to grow on him.
An obviously distressed Ganga was helped from the field suffering from a fracture to his right upper cheek and was taken to hospital for treatment and x-rays.
Trinidad's plight worsened soon after when Dinesh Ramdin swiped loosely at Powell and managed to only pop the ball up for the
simplest of catches for stand-in 'keeper Keith Hibbert. He failed to trouble the scorers and the total had only advanced to 11.
Badree (six) soon followed Ramdin, and Trinidad were listing badly at 26 for three. However, skipper Daren Ganga and Richard Kelly set about at least restoring some pride to the side. While Ganga was stoic, Kelly was murderous. The tall all-rounder hammered seven sixes and four fours on his way to a superb, but ultimately in vain 83.
The visitors' death knell was signalled when Daren Ganga was trapped leg before by left-arm spinner Nikita Miller for 24, after putting on 69 for the fourth wicket with Kelly.
There is no finer sight in cricket than a fired-up pacer bowling to a batsman on the go, and Kelly's duel with Powell delighted the crowd as the Jamaican peppered the young Trinidadian with a
barrage of short balls, one of which was hooked nonchalantly into the 'rock' area of the ground.
KELLY TRAPPED
Unfortunately, Kelly was unable to complete a deserved ton, as he was trapped leg before by Miller in the following over.
While Powell supplied the fire, Miller reaped the wickets
finishing for four of Trinidad's available eight for 27 runs. While Jamaica celebrated a historic five straight outright victories, there was obvious concern around the ground for Sherwin Ganga.
His brother and skipper, Daren, said he was doing well.
"He'll be all right. He's getting x-rays and will need an operation, but he's in good spirits," Daren said.
First innings centurion Donovan Pagon won the man of the match award. Jamaica now head to the Leeward Islands for a sixth round clash this week. The squad should include returning West Indian
representatives, skipper Wavell Hinds, Chris Gayle, Marlon Samuels and Xavier Marshall.
