Taylor
SCARBOROUGH, Tobago, CMC:
TRINIDAD AND Tobago and West Indies Under-19 batsman Lendl Simmons made his maiden first-class century, a double hundred yesterday, and put his country back into contention against Jamaica in their eighth round Carib Beer Series match at Shaw Park.
At the end of the third day's play, Trinidad and Tobago in arrears by 33 runs on first innings, closed on 392 for nine for an overall lead of 359 runs with one wicket intact.
The right-handed Simmons, who failed to score in the first innings, was dismissed for an even 200, compiled in 449 minutes off 290 balls, laced with 19 fours and four sixes.
IMPORTANT PARTNERSHIPS
He shared in two important partnerships that revived his team's hopes for a possible outright victory, to stay alive for a place in the final of the Carib International Challenge.
Simmons, a member of the West Indies Under-19 team which placed second to Pakistan in the 2004 Youth World Cup in Bangladesh, shared in a fifth wicket partnership of 168 in 163 minutes with wicketkeeper batsman Denesh Ramdin, who made a vital 60 in 163 minutes and 125 deliveries, which was garnished with four fours and one six.
The 20-year-old nephew of former West Indies Test batsman Phil Simmons also shared in an enterprising seventh wicket stand of 94 in 117 minutes with the left-handed Richard Kelly, who scored 62 off 76 balls including two fours and four sixes.
Fast bowler Jerome Taylor with three for 62, was Jamaica's top bowler and he was supported by Dave Bernard (2-54) and Odean Brown (2-84).
Earlier, fifth-placed Trinidad and Tobago resumed on 21 for one with Simmons on 12 and night watchman Mervyn Dillon yet to score.
The home side lost Dillon with the score on 33, bowled by Taylor for five.
FURTHER TROUBLE
The local team plunged into further trouble with dismissals of their West Indies players Daren Ganga and Ricardo Powell before the lunch interval.
Skipper Ganga was bowled by Bernard for 17, and Powell (9) was trapped in front to spinner Nikita Miller, which brought Simmons and Ramdin together to perform their heroics.
Simmons was the seventh batsman dismissed with the score on 366 caught by Miller off Bernard, while Kelly was the last out for the day at 392 when play was called off.
Jamaica, who secured a first innings advantage when they scored 238 all out on Saturday in response to T&T's first innings 205, need one more win to be assured of the Carib Beer league title.
Scoreboard
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO - 1st innings 205
(D.Ganga 113; J.Taylor 4-55)
JAMAICA 1st Innings 238
(W.Hinds 46; D.Mohammed 4-66)
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO
2nd Innings (overnight 21 for 1):
L. Simmons c Miller b Bernard 200
I. Khan c Bernard b Brown 8
M. Dillon b Taylor 5
D. Ganga b Bernard 17
R. Powell lbw Miller 9
+D. Ramdin c Bernard b Taylor 60
S. Badree c Hinds b Powell 0
R. Kelly c Bernard b Taylor 62
R. Emrit c Baugh b Brown 1
D. Mohammed not out 12
Extras (9lb, 1w, 8nb) 18
TOTAL (for 9 wickets - 99.3 overs) 392
Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-33, 3-84, 4-103, 5-271, 6-272, 7-366, 8-368, 9-392.
Bowling: D. Powell 22-3-87-1 (2nb); Taylor 21.3-5-62-3 (1w, 1nb); O. Brown 16-3-84-2 (2nb); Bernard 14-1-54-2 (2nb); Miller 17-1-59-1; W. Hinds 7-0-22-0 (1nb); Parchment 2-0-15-0.
Position: T&T are 359 runs ahead with one second innings wicket remaining.
Umpires: T. Birbal, D. Holder.
