J’ca take control against TT

ALPART: Leaders Jamaica grabbed first innings points over Trinidad and Tobago, and their batsmen left them perfectly poised to take full honours, on the third day of their fifth round Carib Beer Series cricket match at the Alpart Sports Club yesterday. Going into the final day today, Jamaica lead by 157 runs overall, after dismissing Trinidad for 303 in reply to their 316, and then rattling up 144 for three by the close.

Danza Hyatt, who was out shortly before the close, scored 64 from 120 balls in 183 minutes with seven fours and a six, while Donovan Pagon struck 57, laced with five fours and one six, in an innings that lasted 146 balls and 201 minutes. However, it was a tense battle for first innings points as Trinidad, resuming from 217 for five overnight, made a fight of it. One batsman short after Shazan Babwah returned home following the death of his father on Thursday, Trinidad’s lower order charge was led by Samuel Badree and Rayad Emrit.

Badree, unbeaten on 17, and Emrit, nought, shared a 68-run, sixth wicket stand that put the visitors within sight of first innings points at 285 for five. However, there was a sudden collapse as Trinidad lost three quick wickets for six runs, including the vital ones of Badree for 55, and Emrit, 25, as Trinidad went to tea 294 for eight. Badree struck four boundaries and one six and faced 161 balls, in an innings that lasted 194 minutes. Jamaica then quickly cleaned up the Trinidad innings and set about building a lead. Their progress was temporarily disrupted when medium pacer Richard Kelly removed Brenton Parchment for 11, to a catch by Imran Jan at slip, with the score on 18. However, Pagon and Hyatt snatched the advantage from Trinidad with a partnership of 113 for the second wicket.