CASTRIES, St Lucia, CMC - Jamaica and the Windward Islands battled for the upper hand as they met here on the opening day of the 2004 Carib Beer Series at the Beausejour cricket ground yesterday.
The Jamaicans, sent in to bat, got a half-century from Mario Ventura and were 258 for eight when stumps were drawn, with veteran Nehemiah Perry (24) and Andrew Richardson (2) the not-out batsmen.
Jamaica started tentatively and lost former West Indies youth captain Brenton Parchment caught smartly at slip by Darren Sammy off Test pacer Cameron Cuffy for nine with the score on 13.
Keith Hibbert and Donovan Pagon then posted a second-wicket partnership of 47 before Pagon was bowled by medium pacer Darren Sammy for 20.
Hibbert (29) followed seven runs later in similar fashion as Sammy continued to attack the stumps.
David Bernard and newcomer Tamar Lambert added 43 for the fourth wicket before Bernard was caught at forward short leg off the bowling of Shane Shillingford for 18.
Lambert, who won the ‘Best Cricketer’ award in the 2003 Shell Academy class, batted with assurance and was the fifth out -- caught by Devon Smith at slip off leg-spinner Rawl Lewis for 38, including five boundaries.
Jamaican captain Gareth Breese then joined the left-handed Ventura and the pair realised Jamaica’s biggest partnership, putting on 63 for the sixth wicket until Breese was trapped leg-before to Cuffy for 31.
Ventura, after hitting an even 50, with nine boundaries, was immediately run-out attempting a quick single off Cuffy.
Perry, drafted into the squad last week following an injury to pacer Darren Powell, pushed a delivery into the offside and Ventura set off for the single, only to see Cuffy move swiftly to his left and break the stumps at the non-striker’s end with a direct hit.
The other wicket to fall was that of the all-rounder Evon McInnis, who skied a catch to Cuffy at mid-off attempting a big hit against leg-spinner Olanzo Jackson for a breezy 23.
Perry saw Jamaica safely to the close, assisted by a defiant Richardson.
Sammy, with two for 54, and Cuffy (2-56), have been the most successful bowlers for the Windwards, with a wicket each going to Jackson (1-41), off-spinner Shillingford (1-35) and Lewis (1-15).
JAMAICA 1st innings
B.Parchment c Sammy b Cuffy 9
+K.Hibbert b Sammy 29
D.Pagon b Sammy 20
D.Bernard c Currency b Shillingford 18
T.Lambert c Smith b Lewis 38
M.Ventura run-out 50
*G.Breese lbw Cuffy 31
N.Perry not out 24
E.McInnis c Cuffy b Jackson 23
A.Richardson not out 2
Extras: (lb-6, nb-8) 14
Total: (for 8 wickets) 258
Fall of wickets 1-9, 2-60, 3-67, 4-110, 5-132, 6-195, 7-205, 8-237.
Bowling: Cuffy 21-4-56-2 (nb-1), Thomas 13-1-51-0 (nb-4), Sammy 16-3-54-2 (nb-1), Jackson 17-3-41-1, Shillingford 14-4-35-1, Lewis 9-2-15-1 (nb-2).