J’ca bowlers wreck B’dos for 198

KINGSTON: Jamaica took bragging rights in yesterday’s opening day of their Carib Beer Series  regional cricket match against Barbados at Sabina Park, bowling out the defending  champions for 198.

By the close of play at Sabina Park, Jamaica, had scored nine without loss. Barbados had determined innings of 56 from Ryan Hinds, 47 from Antonio Mayers and 24 by Sulieman Benn to thank for their modest total as the Jamaican bowlers, led by leftarm spinner Ryan Cunningham, ran through their middle-order. Cunningham took four wickets for 49 runs from 24 overs. His captain, rightarm spinner Gareth Breese, finished with three wickets for 52 runs off 27 overs, while Tamar Lambert, another  slow bowler, had two wickets for six runs off two overs. Barbados, having won the toss, made slow progress in the morning session to reach 54 for the loss of one wicket at lunch. The lone wicket to fall was Martin Nurse, who was brilliantly caught by wicketkeeper Hibbert for 14 with the score on 26.

The experienced Sherwin Campbell and Hinds continued to accumulate runs on the resumption, but with the score on 72, Campbell attempted to cut Cunningham and gave Hibbert a second  catch to be out for 26.  Floyd Reifer was next out, bowled by  Cunningham for three playing no shot with the score on 88.  Two runs later, Shayne Graham became Cunningham’s third victim, giving Hibbert another catch behind the stumps. Barbados captain, Courtney Browne, was fifth out for one, caught off  Breese. Then with 20 minutes to go before tea, Hinds drove Breese to mid-off to be comfortably caught by Lorenzo Ingram. The lefthander, who was put down on 37 by Cunningham off his bowling when on 37, hit six boundaries.  Barbados went to tea at 127 for six, with Mayers and Benn both on nine. After the break, they blunted the Jamaican attack with a mixture of attack and defence with Mayers in particular driving crisply on the offside.

Mayers and Benn put on 52 runs for the seventh wicket, but with the score on 166 Benn was caught by Taylor to give Breese his second wicket. His dismissal triggered another collapse as   the remaining wickets fell for 32 runs. Mayers was the ninth man out, playing a reckless shot off Cunningham to be caught by Andrew Richardson; he struck four fours off 86 deliveries. Barbados won their first two matches and lead the eight-team tournament with maximum 24 points. Jamaica are third with 15 points.