Crushing win

Brown bags five as Jamaica rally to nail Guyana by 165 runs

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

NAIN, St Elizabeth:

Another impressive spell of leg-spin bowling from Odean Brown guided defending champions Jamaica to an outright win - by 165 runs - over Guyana in the opening fixture of their West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Four-day Tournament clash at Alpart Sports Club, St Elizabeth, yesterday.

Bowling his customary armoury of stock balls, googlies, and slide-ons, Brown, who took three for 53 in the first innings, claimed five for 69 as Guyana, resuming on the final day on 58 without loss and needing another 301 runs to record an outright win, were bowled out for 193 midway through the post-lunch session.

Jerome Taylor, whose pace and accuracy showed gradual improvement, ended with three for 40, while captain Tamar Lambert, who snared three for seven with his part-time off-spin in the first innings, finished with two for 43.

Final scores: Jamaica 150 and 391-4 declared; Guyana 183, and 193.

Positive effect

Jamaica, which registered a hat-trick of title successes last season, took maximum points to emerge joint leaders at the end of the first-round fixtures on 12 points, while Guyana got four after claiming first-innings points.

"To know that my personal achievement has had a positive effect on the team makes me feel good," said a pleased-looking Brown, who turns 29 today and was achieving his first five-wicket haul against Guyana.

He has accomplished the feat against every other Caribbean territory.

He added: "After the Caribbean Twenty20, it was about changing one's mindset and approach, and that's what I did in this game."

Resuming the day at 58 without loss, with the opening pair of Rajindra Chandrika and Shemroy Barrington on 37 not out and 19 not out, respectively, Guyana took the score to 77 before the former was adjudged leg before wicket off the bowling of Taylor for a well-played 49 after he mistimed a full toss from Taylor and was hit plumb in front.

This signalled the start of a collapse for Guyana's batsmen as apart from wicketkeeper Derwin Christian, 32, and Barrington, 31, no other batsman was able to post a score of any substance that could have made the light showers that came in late afternoon matter.

"After being down on the first day I thought the team fought back gallantly and I am proud of them," said Jamaica's coach, Gus Logie.

"We just now hope that in our next three games on the road we can put in similar performances so that we can in the end defend our title," he added.

Guyana's captain, Assad Fudadin, said despite the defeat, there were many positives to take away for his young side.

"With five of the most senior batsmen out, nobody gave us any chance of recording a positive result," said Fudadin.

"We were, however, able to push Jamaica on the back-foot with some positive bowling, and for that I am proud. I am now looking forward to us improving from here, especially in our batting."

Jamaica will travel today for Grenada where they will next play the Windward Islands while Guyana will host the Leeward Islands.

In the meantime, Marlon Samuels, who scored 250 not out on day three, was named Man of the Match.

STANDINGS

Points standings after the first round of matches in the WICB Regional first-class championship yesterday:

Combined Campuses & Colleges 12 points

England Lions 12Jamaica 12Trinidad & Tobago 6Windward Islands 4Guyana 4Barbados 3Leeward Islands 0

Second round of matches: February 11-14: Guyana vs Leeward Islands at Bourda Oval, Georgetown, Guyana; Trinidad & Tobago vs Combined Campuses & Colleges at UWI Sports & Physical Education Complex, St Augustine, Trinidad; Barbados vs England Lions at Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados; and Windward Islands vs Jamaica at Queen's Park Stadium, St George's, Grenada.

SCOREBOARD

JAMAICA 1st Innings 150

GUYANA 1st Innings 183

JAMAICA 2nd Innings 391 for four declared

GUYANA 2nd Innings (target: 359)

(overnight 58 without loss)

S. Barrington c Jackson bLambert 31R. Chandrika lbw b Taylor 47L. Johnson lbw bLambert 23A. Fudadin lbw b Brown 8V. Singh b Brown 10R. Crandon c Jackson b Brown 8+D. Christian b Taylor 32E. Crandon lbw b Brown 0V. Permaul c Hinds b Taylor 2D. Bishoo c Samuels b Brown 19B. Bess not out 3Extras (b1, lb5, nb4) 10TOTAL (all out, 90.5 overs) 193

Fall of wickets: 1-77, 2-88, 3-117, 4-117, 5-135, 6-148, 7-148, 8-168, 9-171

Bowling: Taylor 14-3-40-3, Cotterrell 9-2-26-0, Bernard 3-0-9-0, Brown 35.5-4-69-5, Lambert 29-9-43-2

Result: Jamaica won by 165 runs

Points: Jamaica 12, Guyana 4

Man-of-the-Match: M. Samuels (Jamaica)

Umpires: V. Johnson, C. Mack

Match referee: D. Hayles

Reserve umpire: P. Gustard.