KINGSTOWN, St Vincent, CMC:
DEFENDING CHAMPIONS Jamaica hit back in fading light to leave their opening TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge match against Trinidad and Tobago evenly poised on the first day at the Stubbs Ground yesterday.
After teenaged spinner Sunil Narine sent Jamaica crashing to 75 all out with a spell of seven for 18, hostile fast bowler Andre Russell then captured two wickets in the opening over of the innings to put the Jamaicans back into contention.
At the close of an enthralling day's play, Trinidad and Tobago were 30 for four in reply.
When play started almost two hours late after heavy overnight and morning showers left the ground unfit for play, Jamaica found themselves in early trouble.
After losing the toss and being asked to take first knock, openers Nickoy Samuels and Zaniffe Fowler navigated their way safely to 24 before the innings went into decline.
Narine accounted for both Samuels (8) and Fowler (11) as Jamaica slipped to 37 for four at the tea interval.
On resumption, Jamaica's decline continued as West Indies left-arm spinner Rishi Bachan (2-20) combined with Narine to prise out the remaining batsmen without any resistance.
Any thoughts Trinidad had of asserting control of the game were quickly erased when the hostile Russell had the talented Adrian Bharath caught at gully with the first ball of the innings without scoring, and then bowled Darren Bravo with the third ball of the same over for nought, to leave T&T 0-2.
Trinidad slipped even further into trouble at 2-3 when Mario Belcon (1) was run out soon afterward. William Perkins, who was unbeaten on 19 at the close, combined with Jason Mohammed (7) in a third wicket stand of 25 before the latter fell to leg spinner Alton Beckford.
BARBADOS VS WINDWARDS
The Windward Islands, sent in to bat by Barbados, reached 85 for five at the close on the rain-hit opening day of the first round matches in the TCL Group Under-19 tournament at the Arnos Vale Ground.
Scores: Windward Islands 85-5 (Heron Campbell 19, Lauron Francois 18, Andre Fletcher 18; Andre Gill 2-19)
LEEWARD ISLANDS VS GUYANA
The Leeward Islands, sent in by Guyana, reached 107 for seven at the close on the rain-hit opening day of the first round matches in the TCL Group Under-19 tournament at Sion Hill.
Scores: Leeward Islands 107-7 (Jacques Taylor 43 not out, John Luke 25 not out, Javal Hodge 11; Ryan Hercules 3-12)
SCOREBOARD
JAMAICA 1st Innings
N. Samuel c Pollard b Narine 8
Z. Fowler c Ramroop b Narine 11
Z. Levy c Belcon b Narine 0
J. Trenchfield c & b Bachan 2
A. Gopie c Belcon b Narine 4
D. Ebanks c Bravo b Bachan 8
J. Scott not out 6
D. Bulli lbw b Narine 7
A. Russell run out 0
A. Beckford b Narine 6
O. Brooks b Narine 0
Extras (b7, lb1, w1, nb14) 23
TOTAL (all out, 39.4 overs) 75
Fall of wickets: 24, 24, 35, 37, 49, 52, 66, 66, 73, 75.
Bowling: Mohammed 5-0-18-0, Ramroop 6-3-3-0, Bachan 11-2-20-2, Narine 13.4-6-18-7, Kantasingh 3-1-8-0.
TRINIDAD 1st Innings
A. Bharath c Levy b Russell 0
M. Belcon run out 1
D. Bravo b Russell 0
J. Mohammed b Beckford 7
W. Perkins not out 19
K. Pollard not out 2
Extras (lb1) 1
TOTAL (4 wkts, 13 overs) 30
Fall of wickets: 0, 0, 2, 27.
Bowling: Russell 4-1-11-2, Brooks 5-2-9-0, Bulli 2-0-6-0, Beckford 1-0-1-1, Levy 1-0-2-0.
