Tony Becca, Contributing Editor
WHEN THE fourth day's play of the Carib Beer Challenge Trophy match got under way at Alpart yesterday morning, there was hardly anyone on the ground who did not believe that it would have been only a matter of time before it would have been all over and that Jamaica would have been the winners.
In a wonderful example of the glorious uncertainty of cricket, however, in another reminder that it is never over until its over, not only was the match still in progress at the end of the day's play and although the hunter had not yet become the hunted, it was delicately balanced.
At stumps on another day of blazing sunshine, the scoreboard read, Leeward Islands 180 and 442; Jamaica 372 and 26 without loss.
CHANCE
With the Carib Beer League Cup winners needing another 225 runs to win, with a few deliveries, particularly from the offspinners, jumping off what, however, remains a good pitch, the Leeward Islands, the League Cup runners-up who can only win the Challenge Trophy if they win the match, are now in with a chance.
Starting the day on 227 for six, their lead only 35 with only four wickets in hand, the Leeward Islands, despite the presence of veteran Ridley Jacobs, did appear dead and ready to be buried.
Jamaica were confident of victory so confident in fact that even though there was still another day (today's fifth day) scheduled for the match, even though fast bowler Jerome Taylor was nursing an injury, they booked out of the hotel before leaving for the ground.
Cometh the hour, however, cometh the man, and yesterday the man for the Leeward Islands was Jacobs who, probably playing in his last first-class match, probably in his last first-class innings, played an innings that for sheer quality, for its importance to his team, must be numbered among his best.
Joining the action on the previous day with the Leeward Islands in trouble on 208 for five, starting the day on one with his team on 227 for six and still in trouble, the quiet 37-year-old left-hander frustrated the arrogant Jamaicans with careful, delicate strokes before, with last man Adam Sanford at the other end, punished their bowlers with some brilliant strokes.
He eventually went after playing forward and falling leg before wicket to part-time offspinner Tamar Lambert, walking away with less than an hour to the close of play after a memorable performance a crafty innings of 139 while
batting for 335 minutes, facing 335 deliveries, stroking 11 fours, and blasting two sixes.
One of the sixes came in an over from captain and medium-pacer Wavell Hinds that cost 16 runs. He moved to within four runs of his century with that six, the ball sailing over the trees behind mid-wicket and was never seen again.
In ticking off his ninth century in the regional competition and his 17th in first-class cricket, Jacobs equalled the record held by Guyanese Carl Hooper (four in 2001), as the only batsmen to score four centuries in a regional season.
Yet, it was difficult, even with Taylor's injury, to understand why, with the second new ball, available from the start, it was not taken until 97 minutes into the day's play when the Leeward Islands, but for a few overs from pacer Dwight Washington at the start of play, were fed a diet of spin from left-arm bowler Nikita Miller, Gareth Breese, and part-timer Marlon Samuels.
By then, the Leewards were going well on 306 for six with Omari Banks standing firm beside Jacobs.
TOO LATE
Although Washington removed Banks in the first over with the new ball when the batsman attempted a drive and edged a catch to Samuels at second slip, by then it was too late.
By then Jacobs and Banks had posted 79 for the seventh wicket, and with the Leeward Islands now bubbling with confidence, with the ball then probably
looking as large as a breadfruit to him, Jacobs shepherded tail-enders Carl Simon, Kerry Jeremy and Sanford to partnerships of 35 for the eighth wicket, 25 for the ninth wicket, and 76 for the last wicket as the visitors pushed the match into its fifth and final day.
Left with a target of 251 for victory and 45 minutes to the end of the day's play, Jamaica were lucky to come out of a
disappointing day without losing a wicket when Christopher Gayle, beaten through the air by a slower delivery, was inches away from handing Sanford a return catch the fast bowler, bowling over the wicket, dashing to his left, diving forward, and just failing to come up with the ball.
