Breese blows Jamaica to victory

ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica: Jamaica survived a late surge from Trinidad to win their Carib Beer Cricket Series match at the Alpart Sports Club by three wickets yesterday, the fourth and final  day of the sixth-round match.

Captain Gareth Breese stroked medium-pacer Theodore Modeste to the boundary to give Jamaica victory at 266 for the loss of  seven wickets. Scores:  TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 229 and 182. JAMAICA 147 and 266 for seven. Both teams now have 40 points, but Jamaica is second in the eight-team tournament with this win because of the win the head-to-head match for the No 2 spot. Barbados, which successfully defended their title by beating Leeward Islands on Saturday, have maximum 72 points from six matches.

Jamaica started the day at 97 for one, needing another 168 runs for victory and went to lunch on 153 for two, helped by  a fighting second wicket stand of 116 between Maurice Kepple and Donovan Pagon. Kepple was the only wicket to fall in the morning session, bowled for 55 by medium-pacer Reyad Emrit. He hit three fours. Pagon found another good partner in Tamar Lambert. They put on 78 for the third wicket with some positive stroke-play and looked to be taking their team to a comfortable win. But medium-pacer Dwayne Bravo rocked the hosts with three quick wickets before tea putting Trinidad back in contention entering the final session. Bravo bowled Lambert for 39 which included three fours and one six off off-spinner Shazam Babwah.

Ten minutes  before the break, he forced Pagon to play a false shot and give Aneil Kanhai an easy catch. Pagon, batting at No 3, made 94 which included ten fours and one six. In the final over before tea, Bravo struck again, bowling Carlton Baugh for one as Jamaica went to the interval at 239 for five. On the resumption, fastbowler Marlon Black removed David Bernard (14) and Odean Brown for one, reducing Jamaica to 254 for seven. But Breese who finished unbeaten on 14, kept a cool head to see Jamaica home. Bravo was the best of the Trinidadian attack, finishing with four wickets for 32 runs off 21 overs. Pagon, playing his second match of the season, was named Man-of-the-Match.

Summarised scores: TRINIDAD & TOBAGO 229 and 182 vs JAMAICA 147 and 266/7 - D Pagon 94, M Kepple 55,  T Lambert 39, D Bravo 4/32, M Black 2/59
JAMAICA 12 pts; TT 4 pts.