Windwards chase Jamaica’s 338

ST ELIZABETH: Responding to Jamaica’s 338, the Windward Islands were 121 for the loss of four wickets yesterday at the close of the second day of the Carib Beer International Series semi-final cricket match. Captain Rawle Lewis (26) and the left-arm Sergio Fedee (nine) will resume batting today. The visitors were doing well at 85 for one when they lost three wickets on that score. The in-form Devon Smith made 51 before he was brilliantly caught by Tamar Lambert driving at   right-handed offspinner Nehemiah Perry. Smith, who has scored four centuries this season, hit five fours. The very next ball, Kenroy Martin was caught and bowled by Perry for nought. In the following over, medium-pacer David Bernard had Craig Emmanuel leg before wicket for 28.

The Windwards suffered an early setback in their innings, which started just before the tea break. With only 13 runs on the board, they lost Romel Currency, who edged fastbowler Andrew  Richardson to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh for two. Jamaica’s competitive total was built around Bernard’s 120, his second First-Class century, and solid support from the lower order. Bernard, who was dropped when he made three, hit 10 fours and two sixes off 227 deliveries. Starting the day on 69, he had useful partnerships for the seventh wicket (51) with Perry who made 27, 40 for the eighth with Darren Powell who contributed a quick-fire 24 with two fours and one six off 34 deliveries, and 61 for the ninth with Odean Brown who made 32.

The hosts went to lunch at 291 for eight and added another 47 runs to that score on the resumption before being bowled out. Bernard was bowled by leftarm fastbowler Deighton Butler with Brown the last man out, bowled by Lewis. Butler was the best of the Windwards attack, finishing with three wickets for 78 runs from 27 overs. There were two wickets each for fellow pacer Fernix Thomas and right-arm offspinner  Shane Shillingford.