Samuels sizzles as Jamaica crush Somerset

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados (CMC):

A rampant Jamaica crushed Somerset by 61 runs at Kensington Oval here on Tuesday, defying rain and a reduction in overs to make a winning start to the second leg of the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship.

The affair was reduced to a six overs a side following mid-afternoon showers which delayed the start by nearly three hours; and Jamaica quickly rattled up 85 for one after Somerset won the toss.

Marlon Samuels slammed an unbeaten 45 from 21 balls to lead the Jamaicans, while Danza Hyatt cracked 21 from nine balls.

Somerset then capitulated spectacularly as they were restricted to a paltry 24 for eight, with pacer Krishmar Santokie and left-arm spinner Nikita Miller both finishing with two for four.

The smattering of diehard spectators who braved the rain were treated to a display befitting a Caribbean team hungry for a title.

Samuels smashed four fours and three sixes and Hyatt pummelled two fours and a six to provide the perfect foil for his partner, as they put on 47 from 19 balls in a breezy opening partnership.

When Hyatt was bowled by leg-spinner Max Waller with his first ball of the game, Shawn Findlay justified his elevation in the batting order with a supporting 13 from seven balls, including a towering straight six.

Good fielding, bowling

Any hopes of the English county side providing a semblance of a run chase were quickly erased by incisive bowling and solid outfield catching by the Jamaicans, as wickets fell at regular intervals.

Nick Compton was dropped off pacer Jerome Taylor at midwicket off the first ball of the innings, but two balls later Jos Buttler fell without scoring, caught by David Bernard Jr at mid-on with just one run on the board.

James Hildreth was bowled all ends up by Santokie for one with the score on five in the second over and Craig Meschede went next, run out two balls later by Bernard without scoring.

Compton's innings ended in the safe hands of Samuels in the deep for only seven, as Somerset crashed to eight for four.

Arul Suppiah tried in vain to resurrect the Somerset innings, striking one six in his brief innings of eight off five balls, but he too gifted his hand to Miller as Findlay took an easy catch at mid-on.

There was to be no recovery as Jamaica increased their stranglehold on the game.

Meanwhile, in Tuesday night's other game, also at Kensington Oval, the Windward Islands defeated Guyana by two runs in their Group A clash.

Scores: WINDWARDS 138 for eight off 20 overs (Andre Fletcher 40, Darren Sammy 26, Keddy Lesporis 26; Royston Crandon 2-14). GUYANA 136 for nine off 20 overs (Steven Jacobs 36, Chris Barnwell 31; Nelon Pascal 3-23, Gary Mathurin 2-28, Mervin Matthew 2-28).

The result left Jamaica, Windwards and Guyana all tied on eight points. But the Jamaicans essentially lead with a superior net run rate of +2.281, ahead of the Windwards with a NRR of +0.217 and Guyana with -0.574.

The Guyanese have completed their quota of four matches and this means today's matches - which feature CCC and Somerset in the day's opener, then Jamaica and Windwards in the nightcap - will ultimately decide the fate of the Amazon Conquerors.

SCOREBOARD

JAMAICA (Max: 6 overs)

D Hyatt b Waller 21M Samuels not out 45S Findlay not out 13Extras (w5, nb1) 6TOTAL (1 wkt, 6 overs) 85

Did not bat: D Bernard,W Hinds, H Miller, N Miller, A Russell, +C Baugh, K Santokie, J Taylor.

Fall of wickets: 1-47 (Hyatt, 3.1 overs)

Bowling: Thomas 1-0-14-0, Willoughby 1-0-17-0, Hussain 1-0-16-0, Waller 2-0-17-1, Kirby 1-0-21-0.

SOMERSET

N Compton c Samuels b Bernard 3+J Buttler c Bernard b Taylor 0J Hildreth b Santokie 1C Meschede run out 0A Suppiah c Findlay b Miller 8C Haggett c Findlay b Miller 2G Hussain c Samuels b Russell 3A Thomas not out 1S Kirby c wkp Baugh b Santokie 1M Waller not out 1Extras (lb2, w2) 4TOTAL (8 wkts, 6 overs) 24

Did not bat: C Willoughby

Fall of wickets: 1-1 (Buttler, 0.3 overs), 2-5 (Hildreth, 1.4), 3-5 (Meschede, 2), 4-8 (Compton, 2.4), 5-15 (Suppiah, 3.2), 6-17 (Haggett, 3.5), 7-20 (Hussain, 4.4), 8-23 (Kirby, 5.4)

Bowling: Taylor 1-0-3-1, Santokie 2-0-4-2, Bernard 1-0-9-1, Miller 1-0-4-2, Russell 1-0-2-1.

Result: Jamaica won by 61 runs.

Points: Jamaica 4, Somerset 0.

Man of the Match: Marlon Samuels.

Toss: Somerset.

Umpires: G Brathwaite, B Doctrove

TV umpire: L Kelly.