KINGSTON, Jamaica, (CMC) - Hosts Jamaica and front-runners Barbados were locked in a keen battle at the close of the third day of their key third round match in the Carib Beer 2004 Cricket Series at Sabina Park yesterday..
At the close of another day in which the momentum swung back and forth, Jamaica, set 245 to win, were 39 for one, still needing another 206 runs to achieve their second successive win.
Holders Barbados, who are hunting a third consecutive victory to maintain their 100 per cent winning record, owed their second innings total of 251 to opener Martin Nurse’s 77 and a cameo unbeaten 42 from No. 11 Tino Best.
In between, tall fast bowler Andrew Richardson took four wickets in an impressive post-lunch burst that appeared to give Jamaica the upper hand before Best came in to change the complexion of the match.
Bowling with sustained aggression, Richardson, introduced from the George Headley Stand End after lunch, took the important wickets of Shawn Graham and captain Courtney Browne and also added the scalps of Antonio Mayers and Ryan Nurse. It contributed to a Barbados collapse in which five wickets fell for 32 runs after lunch.
The first of those was Martin Nurse, whose best first-class score included five fours and a six off 174 balls in 225 minutes’ batting.
Barbados, resuming on 54 for two with Martin Nurse on 20, moved to 154 for four at lunch after Jamaica removed nightwatchman Pedro Collins and Floyd Reifer, both of whom were victims to captain Gareth Breese.
Off-spinner Breese, who supported Richardson by taking three wickets for 79 runs, also dismissed Martin Nurse in the first over after the lunch break to open the flood gates for Richardson, who did not bowl in the first session in spite of prevailing overcast conditions.
Three of Richardson’s victims fell to catches by wicketkeeper Keith Hibbert, who enjoyed an outstanding match behind the stumps by effecting 10 dismissals.
After Barbados slipped to 187 for nine, Best, who faced 61 balls in 72 minutes at the crease, came out to hit some meaty strokes that included three sixes, including two in one over off Breese.
Sulieman Benn offered good support to Best by making 22 in a last-wicket partnership of 64 that was broken 25 minutes after the scheduled tea interval.
Jamaica lost makeshift opener Lorenzo Ingram in the second over of their run-chase, but opener Brenton Parchment and Maurice Kepple watchfully batted out the last hour and 15 minutes in which the scoring rate was less than two runs an over.
BARBADOS 1st Innings 198
(R. Hinds 56; R. Cunningham 4-49)
JAMAICA 1st Innings 205
(D. Bernard 81; T. Best 5-44)
BARBADOS 2nd Innings
(overnight 54 for two)
S. Campbell c Ventura b Taylor 0
M. Nurse c Ventura b *Breese 77
R. Hinds c wkpr Hibbert b Cunningham 30
P. Collins c wkpr Hibbert b *Breese 7
F. Reifer lbw b *Breese 23
S. Graham c wkpr Hibbert b Richardson 25
*+C. Browne c wkpr Hibbert b Richardson 13
A. Mayers b Richardson 2
S. Benn c *Breese b Bernard 22
R. Nurse c wkpr Hibbert b Richardson 0
T. Best not out 42
Extras (b2, lb4, w1, nb3) 10
TOTAL (all out) 251
Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-54, 3-77, 4-128, 5-155, 6-178, 7-186, 8-187,
9-187.
Bowling: Taylor 12-1-39-1 (nb3, w1); Richardson 13-3-36-4; Bernard