Jamaica score resounding win

Ryon Jones, Gleaner Writer

Jamaica's senior team got off to a winning start in the Pearl's Cup Cricket Festival, which is being played at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, registering a mammoth 132-run victory over the United States of America (USA) yesterday.

Jamaica won the toss and elected to bat first. They posted 307 for four off their allotted 50 overs, with Donovan Pagon leading the way with 108 off 120 deliveries. He received good support from Danza Hyatt (62), Tamar Lambert (52) and Carlton Baugh Jr., who chipped in with an attacking, unbeaten 48 off 30 balls.

Marlon Samuels could only muster 13 runs off 10 deliveries on his return to competitive cricket, following a two-year ban, which ended last weekend.

The USA, in their response, were bundled out for 175 off 48.5 overs. Only four batsmen were able to get into double figures. Orlando Baker top-scored with 56, while Aditya Thyagarajan (39), Ashhar Mehdi (24) and Steve Massiah (16) got starts but could not carry on.

Krishmar Santokie was Jamaica's top bowler, grabbing three for 11 off seven overs. He received good support from Andrew Richardson, who bagged two wickets, while Gavin Wallace, Nkrumah Bonner, Lambert and Samuels chipped in with one wicket each.

The team will be in action again today when they play the USA in the shortest version of the game, a Twenty/20 match, before rounding off their participation in the festival with another Twenty/20 game against the same opponents tomorrow.