NAIN, St Elizabeth, Jamaica - (CMC) - A double-century from West Indies opener Chris Gayle placed Jamaica in the driver’s seat in their match against the Leeward Islands on the third day of their Carib Beer Series match at the Alpart Sports Club, yesterday.
At the close the Leeward Islands were 76 for one wicket after being set 405 for victory. They need 329 more runs for victory.
Gayle smashed 31 fours and a six as he added 116 runs between the start of play and twenty minutes before tea when he played a weary flick. Overall he faced 272 balls and batted for 396 minutes.
Resuming from his overnight 103 Gayle and his opening partner Maurice Kepple (58) played positively as they tried to push the score along.
However, forty minutes after the start of play Kepple was given out leg-before-wicket to West Indies pacer Adam Sanford, as he went back to play a defensive shot.
Kepple struck one six and six fours in his 212-ball innings as he and Gayle had an opening partnership of 188.
The Jamaicans went to lunch on 246 for one wicket, having added 88 in the first session of play, after starting the day on 158.
Gayle lost Donovan Pagon (27) half an hour after the interval as he snicked a ball while attempting a drive at William Cornwall and West Indies ’keeper Ridley Jacobs took a fine catch way to his right.
This third-wicket partnership had only yielded 34.
Gayle and Tamir Lambert then batted for just over an hour before the West Indies opener played a tired flick to be caught by Ian Tittle at mid-wicket with the score on 358.
Lambert and Keith Hibbert added another 36 runs before the declaration came at 23 minutes after tea.
Set 405 for victory the Leewards had to first see out the remaining 26 overs of the day’s play.
Cornwall (42 n.o.) and Codzill Rogers started steadily before the latter got a full ball from Darren Powell, to which he drove but appeared to have been beaten by some in-swing, as Lambert dived forward at mid-on to take the catch.
First innings top-scorer Sylvester Joseph joined Cornwall and they added 46 before the umpires offered light with four overs remaining.
JAMAICA 1st innings 200 (C.Baugh 87 not out; C.Hodge 4-67)