Creary

WILDEY, Barbados (CMC):

JAMAICA DENTED Barbados' title hopes in the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 Challenge yesterday.

Fourth-place Jamaica, who have no chance of winning the title, made 255 on the back of an enterprising half-century from opener Horace Miller and reduced front-runners Barbados to 82 for five when stumps were drawn on the opening day of their fifth and final round match at the Cable & Wireless Sports Club.

Miller batted fluently in cracking a run-a-ball 51 to kick-start Jamaica's effort after they were sent in to bat, but no other batsman passed 50 against a Barbados attack that depended heavily on their spinners.

Three scalps

Left-arm spinner Dario Cummins and leg-spinner Dario Vaughan each took three wickets, but the pick of Barbados' bowlers was fast medium Jason Holder, who also collected three scalps.

With Miller in full flow, Jamaica were able to score at better than a run a minute in the opening session in which they posted 137 and lost three wickets.

Barbados, who lead the standings by three points, managed to peg things back in an even second session in which 89 was added for the loss of a further three wickets.

Jamaica's cause was also helped by a solid 38 from opener Nick Blackwood, captain Andre Creary's assured 44, and Jermaine Blackwood's 35. They were among five of the top seven batsmen benefiting from a start.

Blackwood added 68 with Miller for the first wicket and Jamaica had another half-century partner-ship when Blackwood and Creary put on 52 for the third wicket.

Miller stroked five fours and two sixes before he was stumped off Cummins after 70 minutes' play, and Barbados took another wicket 10 minutes later before removing Nick Blackwood on the stroke of lunch.

Creary, who made a century in the previous match against Guyana, was on course for another big score before giving a return catch to Cummins, who finished with three for 44 from 13 overs.

Holder, who dismissed Allen with an edged catch to first slip in the middle of the afternoon session, ended with three for 57 from 15 overs, while Vaughan had the wicket of Jermaine Blackwood on the way to figures of three for 40 from 15 overs.

Lost opener

Barbados lost prolific opener Kraigg Brathwaite to the third ball of the second over when he gave a catch to first slip of pacer Gifton Wray, and off-spinner Jermaine Blackwood also came up with the important wickets of Rashidi Boucher and captain Kyle Corbin to give Jamaica the advantage.

Boucher made 22 before giving a return catch, while Corbin lashed three sixes in 25 before he was caught at slip to give Blackwood a second wicket from his eight overs in which he conceded 29 runs.