Ramdin century thwarts Jamaica

Jermaine Lannaman, Gleaner Writer

An enterprising century from wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin yesterday thwarted Jamaica's bid for an outright win against Trinidad and Tobago in their top-of-the-table West Indies Cricket Board Regional Four-day Tournament clash at Sabina Park.

Ramdin, who was last summer axed from the West Indies list of contracted players, and was dropped from the team earlier in the year because of poor form, mixed attacking flair with steely defence to score 104 not out as Trinidad and Tobago, set 304 to win in the final two sessions, closed the day on 248 for five, 56 runs short of what would have been a memorable victory.

Setting a challenge

Resuming the day on 116 for three and an overall lead of 193 runs, with Brendan Nash not out on 33 and Tamar Lambert on three, Jamaica were looking to score quickly to set a challenging total. But thanks to disciplined bowling from pacer Rayad Emrit and off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth, and defensive tactics from Trinidad captain Daren Ganga, they were unable to do so.

The first batsman to go was Nash who, with only eight runs added to the total, was caught off the bowling of Jaggernauth for 37.

This brought together Lambert and first-innings centurion Wavell Hinds. They reeled off a flurry of boundaries while quickly adding 51 for the fifth wicket, before Hinds was dismissed for 26 with the score on 175, as Jamaica's overall lead increased to 257.

Wicketkeeper Chadwick Walton joined Lambert and they posted an unbroken 52 for the sixth wicket.

Lambert, who hit six fours and two well-timed sixes, ended not out on 61, while Walton made 19. Jaggernauth closed with two for 54.

Niggling injuries

Without their three main pace bowlers - Jerome Taylor, Andrew Richardson and David Bernard Jr - who throughout the match picked up niggling injuries and as a precautionary measure did not take the field for the Trinidadians' reply, Ramdin, opener Lendl Simmons, 56, and Sherwin Ganga, 48, launched a spirited battle that took them fairly close.

Ramdin, who was promoted to number three to shore up Trinidad and Tobago's batting after they lost opener Tishan Maraj off Nash with the score on 21, batted for close to three and a half hours, hitting seven fours and two sixes. Daren Ganga ended not out on 11.

Jamaica, having won first innings, collected six points, while Trinidad ended with three.

Points standing:

1. England Lions 48, 2. Combined Campuses & Colleges 45, 3. Jamaica 45, 4. Trinidad & Tobago 40, 5. Windward Islands 29, 6. Barbados 27 7. Leeward Islands 19, 8. Guyana 16. Seventh round of matches: March 24 to 27 - Jamaica vs England Lions at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica; March 25 to 28 - Guyana vs Trinidad & Tobago at Albion Sports Complex, New Amsterdam, Guyana; Windward Islands vs Leeward Islands at Beausejour Cricket Ground in Gros-Islet, St Lucia; Combined Campuses & Colleges vs Barbados at Three Ws Oval in Cave Hill, Barbados.

JAMAICA 1st Innings 356

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 1st Innings 279

JAMAICA 2nd Innings

(overnight 116 for three)

S. Jackson c wkpr Ramdin b S. Ganga 26D. Hyatt c wkpr Ramdin b Gabriel 3M. Samuels c Khan b Jaggernauth 39B. Nash c Mohammed b Jaggernauth 37T. Lambert not out 61W. Hinds c wkpr Ramdin b Emrit 26C. Walton not out 19

Extras: (b5, lb1, w2, nb7) 15

TOTAL: (5 wkts decl'd, 65 overs) 226

Fall of wickets: 1-4, 2-51, 3-111, 4-124, 5-175

Bowling: Gabriel 7-1-27-1, Emrit 25-5-69-1, S. Ganga 4-1-21-1, Simmons 6-0-22-0, Cariah 3-0-24-0, Jaggernauth 19-1-54-2, Khan 1-0-3-0

TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 2nd Innings (target: 304)

T. Maraj c Hyatt b Nash 4L. Simmons lbw bLambert 38+D. Ramdin not out 104S. Ganga lbw b Hinds 15J. Mohammed c Samuels b Brown 56R. Emrit c Samuels bLambert 4D. Ganga not out 11

Extras: (b14, w2) 16

TOTAL: (5 wkts, 58 overs) 248

Fall of wickets: 1-21, 2-68, 3-125, 4-209, 5-223

Bowling: Nash 10-1-43-1, Hinds 12-3-45-1, Brown 14-0-67-1,Lambert 22-2-79-2

Result: Match drawn

Points: Jamaica 6, T&T 3

Man of the Match: W. Hinds (Jamaica)

Umpires: V. Bullen, V. Johnson

Match referee: M. Hylton

Reserve umpire: P. Gustard.