Ramdin takes unbeaten 125 off Jamaica

And, with two sightings of the recently-purchased Skyship 600 surveillance blimp over the picturesque Sir Frank Worrell Ground in UWI St Augustine campus, the Jamaicans were tottering at 97 for three wickets, in response to the Trinidad and Tobago first innings of 386.

Richard Kelly, Dwayne Bravo and Dave Mohammed took one wicket apiece.

The Jamaican tally could have been much worse as Marlon Samuels reminded fans and, in particular, the WI selection panel, of his abundant talent with a stroke-filled 63. Samuels, who have suffered a series of knee injuries and subsequent loss of form since making his international debut in 2000, arrived at the crease with the score on eight for one wicket after 3.2 overs, after captain and opener Wavell Hinds drove loosely at a Kelly delivery and edged a catch to wicket-keeper Ramdin.

Batting at number three, Samuels took a while to settle down before unleashing a series of straight drives and leg glances off pacers Kelly, Rayad Emrit and Bravo.

Later, TT captain Daren Ganga was forced to withdraw Mohammed from the attack after the left-arm spinner was savagely treated by Samuels, his first three overs costing 24 runs, including five fours from the elegant right-hander. A pull to the long-on boundary pushed Samuels past 50 reached in 62 minutes off 53 balls, including seven fours.

But Bravo, in the midst of a long-spell, surprised Samuels with a bouncer which he fended to a diving Ramdin.

Opener Brenton Parchment’s two-hour long stay ended in the day’s penultimate over when he was trapped leg-before by a Mohammed googly, leaving Tamar Lambert on seven and night-watchman Nikita Miller, yet to face a delivery to resume from 10 am today.

Star of the day, however, was Ramdin who with support from Kelly, Emrit, Mohammed and Gooljar, rallied the Trinidad and Tobago tail from an overnight 201 for six wickets. The slimly-built vice-captain shared stands of 100 in 128 minutes off 174 balls with Kelly, who blasted his way to 62.

With Emrit (15), Ramdin put on 38 in 55 minutes and he added another 30 in 39 minutes with Mohammed (5), while with Gooljar (3) he added 37 in 62 minutes.

Kelly took a liking to the Jamaican bowling, racing from his overnight 16 to 50 off just 44 deliveries. The muscular all-rounder launched Breese for a massive six over long-on followed next ball by three runs to deep cover to reach his landmark.

Ramdin soon reached his 50 with a drive to point off Breese, a feat which took him 195 minutes and 138 balls and included three fours.

With Breese and Samuels operating in tandem, Kelly saw the need to attack the off-spin pair, but Breese would have the last laugh, collecting his fifth wicket as the left-hander, attempting another big hit, found Dave Bernard jr at long-off.

Kelly’s 62 took 92 balls and featured five fours and a six.

Trinidad and Tobago lost their eighth wicket at 319 when Emrit edged Jermaine Lawson to keeper Carlton Baugh jr, while Mohammed hung around for a while before slashing a wide Andrew Richard-son delivery to Jerome Taylor at point.

On debut, Gooljar showed no nerves at number 11 while Ramdin reached three-figures with two runs to deep square-leg off Richardson. He took 223 deliveries and 320 minutes to notch his century, with the inclusion of four boundaries and a six off Breese.

Lawson caught the ball but slid over the boundary ropes giving Ramdin a reprieve.

Ramdin added two boundaries and a spectacular six off Taylor, over mid-wicket on the front foot, but the pacer took revenge two deliveries later as he knocked back Gooljar’s leg-stump to end the innings.

Ramdin later said: "it was a great feeling going out there. My team was a bit under pressure and it was just to go out there to bat and spend some time at the crease," he added. "At the end of the day, I’m happy with the total that we got and I’m happy with my performance." He said, during the last-wicket stand, "I know Gooljar could bat," "we played against each other in school cricket a lot."

The 20-year-old continued, "I had the confidence in him batting with me. At the end of the day, he stuck it out there with me and I got my hundred."