GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC):

A FIGHTING unbeaten half century by opening batsman Jed Yearwood along with a useful 54 from Jonathan Carter kept the Barbados innings intact on the first day of their third round TCL Group West Indies Under-19 match against Jamaica, yesterday.

Sent to bat, tournament leaders Barbados fought off a vibrant Jamaica bowling attack throughout the day and closed at 229 for nine with Yearwood not out on 72 and Adrian Maynard on eight at the Everest Ground.

Yearwood, who had retired after feeling ill when he was on 22 and Barbados 32 without loss, returned with his team struggling on 108 for four.

He joined Carter, who was batting positively, stroking a number of cover drives and occasionally going over the top.

After Carter departed, Yearwood continued his steady innings, batting throughout the afternoon. Carter stroked four fours, faced 131 balls and batted 124 minutes.

Slow pitch

None of the other Barbadian batsmen applied themselves against the Jamaica spinners on a slow pitch.

Offspinner Cordel Simpson led the way for the Jamaicans with tidy figures of four for 61 off 31 overs with three maidens, backed up by left-arm spinner Christopher Watson, who bagged three for 66.

Yearwood, who smashed 186 in the Barbados first-round innings victory over the Windward Islands, has batted 249 minutes and faced 186 balls so far. He stroked four boundaries and when he moved to 52 he became the first batsman in this year's tournament to reach the 300-mark.

Earlier, Barbados made two changes to the team that played against Trinidad and Tobago in the previous round.

Surprise move

Wicketkeeper Renaldo Holder and fast bowler Dawayne Sealy replaced Reynaldo Arthur and Kevin McClean, while in a surprise move by Jamaica, Simpson took over as captain from Jamie Trenchfield.

AT THE POLICE GROUND: Guyana, replying to Trinidad and Tobago's first innings score of 119 all out, reached 158 for nine at stumps on the opening day. SCORES: T&T 119 all out (Jeewan Ramroop 21, Keegan Roy 21, Adrian Barath 17; Veerasammy Permaul 4-23, Krishna Deosaran 2-8, Brandon Bess 2-28).

GUYANA 158-9 (Steven Jacobs 44, Rajendra Chandrika 40; Gareth Boodhai 4-48, Sunil Narine 2-23).

AT BOURDA: The Leeward Islands, sent to bat by the Windward Islands, reached 225 for five. SCORE: LEEWARDS 225-5 (Chesney Hughes 80, Allan Powell 58, Devon Thomas 44 not out; Keron Cottoy 2-57).