Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer-Westmoreland No. 8 batsman, Adrian Thompson, bats on his way to scoring an important 32 against Kensington in their JSL play-off at Sabina Park yesterday.

Jermaine Lannaman, Freelance Reporter

Westmoreland moved a step closer to retaining their spot in the nation's premier two-day cricket competition, the Jamaica Super League (JSL), after claiming first innings points against Kensington in their one-off play-off encounter at Sabina Park yesterday.

Winning the toss and electing to bowl, the men from out west, led by national pacer Evon McInnis who took seven for 15, dismissed Kensington for 97 and in reply, thanks to a defiant 32 from Adrian Thompson, made 141.

started badly

In the low-scoring, but eventful encounter, Kensington started badly, losing the first wicket with less than 10 runs on the board. And, courtesy of McInnis, who used the short pitch delivery to telling effect, they never recovered.

In fact, only three players from the Preston Road aggregation made it into double figures - Rasheed Outar (24), Haniff Palmer (18 not out) and Peter Coloquhoun (110), with former national youth pacer, Thompson providing best support for McInnis with 1-11.

Having bowled out Kensington for such a low total, many in the venue believed that it would be a walk in the park for Westmoreland, who despite being in the play-off, actually played some good cricket in the recently concluded semi-professional JSL, which for the first time in years featured overseas-based professionals.

However, that was not to be the case as Kensington, led by the successful spin pair of Dennis Bulli and Akeem Dewar, who ended the just-concluded JCA Senior Cup as the number one and two bowlers, respectively - with 56 and 44 wickets - made the Derval Green-led team work for every run, albeit in an unsuccessful attempt for first innings honours.

From a fairly good position of 21 without loss, the men from Westmoreland lost their first five wickets quickly and were in a quandary at 32-5.

Had it not been for Thompson, and McInnis who made 22 not out, it could have been a different story as Dewar, 4-43 and Bulli, 2-31, bowled with bounce and turn in a desperate fightback. Nicoy Samuels 28 was Westmoreland's next best scorer.

The contest continues today at 10 a.m.