Jamaica (335/4) batsmen bash Guyana

ALBION: Anxious to avenge last year’s first innings defeat to Guyana, Jamaica’s batsmen smashed the Guyanese bowlers yesterday, closing day one of their four-day Carib Beer International Shield cricket match at 335 for four wickets.

Scoring more than 100 runs in each of the day’s three sessions, the visitors forced Guyana captain Carl Hooper to use seven bowlers, including part-timers Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Narsingh Deonarine, to try and pry out the Jamaicans. With nearly a dozen West Indies Test stars on show in the match, the Jamaicans owe their huge first day score to a classy 79 from Marlon Samuels, 58 from Wavell Hinds, 31 from Leon Garrick and unbeaten knocks from all-rounders Dave Bernard, on 64, and Gareth Breese, on 62.

The visitors at times scored more than a run a minute, with the 300 coming up in 296 minutes, and the close of play score achieved in a mere 104 overs. The first 100 came in 111 minutes, the 200 in 207 minutes, and the 250 in 257 minutes. Skipper Robert Samuels called correctly and decided to bat, following Guyana’s first innings win last year in the Busta International Shield match in Jamaica. Clearly playing for a first-innings win, Guyana were at the receiving end of aggressive Jamaican batting, with the visitors smashing 45 boundaries and two sixes to leave a leg-weary Guyana side on the ropes to make the final. The day’s play was characterised by partnerships of 98 between Samuels and Hinds, and 108 between Bernard and Breese. The Guyanese, meanwhile, dropped three catches and bowled too short and wide on a very batter-friendly Albion wicket.