Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Jermaine Lawson with his Man of the Match award after taking seven wickets in Guyana's second innings at Kensington Oval.

OUT OF favour West Indies fast bowler Jermaine Lawson was in superb form last Sunday, bowling Jamaica to an impressive win over Guyana in their Carib Beer third-round match at Kensington Park.

On the third day's play, Lawson ripped the heart out of Guyana's batting thus piping Tamar Lambert, who scored a century in the match, for the Gleaner's Top Performer of the Week.

Lawson, the man who bowled Jamaica to first innings points against the Windward Islands in St. Lucia last week with figures of six for 70, equalled his career-best figures for the number of wickets taken in a first-class match.

Picked up the pace

Bowling with pace and accuracy for 17 overs in three spells on Sunday afternoon, Lawson, who last played for the West Indies in Australia in November 2005, picked up seven Guyanese wickets, including their captain and star batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan for 61 runs.

He started his destructive spell when he rocked back Azeemul Haniff's off stump at 11 for one then, after lunch, he had Narsingh Deonarine giving Wavell Hinds catching practice in the covers.

In his second spell, bowling from the south, Royston Crandon and Travis Dowlin were his third and fourth victims respectively, both going leg before.

In the late afternoon when it seemed Guyana were going to bed five wickets down, Lawson bowled Sarwan, who batted for 130 deliveries, and Mahendra Nagamootoo with successive deliveries, then a couple overs later knocked back Esaun Crandon stumps, this as he ended the day with fine figures of 7-76.

On the final day, Lawson bowled three wicket-less overs.

- A. F.