NAIN, St Elizabeth, (CMC) - Jamaica had their batting all-rounder Dave Bernard to thank for the advantage they held over the Windward Islands on the second day of their Carib Beer International Challenge semifinal match at the Alpart Sports Club yesterday.
Bernard stroked 120, his second first class hundred, that vitally lengthened the Jamaica first innings score to 338 all out, and he grabbed one of the late afternoon wickets to fall as the Windwards battled to 121 for four at the close.
Captain Rawl Lewis (26) and Sergio Fedee (9) are the not-out batsmen for the Windwards, who trail by 217 runs entering today’s third day.
Jamaica, winners of the inaugural International Challenge series in 2001, had a fruitful morning session although they lost veteran Nehemiah Perry soon after they resumed at their overnight 215 for six.
Left-arm pacer Deighton Butler bowled Perry (27) after he had added just five runs to his overnight score, but Bernard continued to flourish and Daren Powell joined him for a breezy knock.
Powell smacked two fours and one six but departed for 24 when he top-edged an attempted pull off pacer Fernix Thomas for Darren Sammy to dart from third slip and clutch the chance in the gully area.
Bernard overcame a period of anxiety in the 90s to achieve his hundred with a quick single off Sammy, playing the ball down close to him and taking off to complete the run he needed for the milestone.
From a lunchtime position of 291 for eight, the Jamaicans added another valuable 47 runs before their innings folded midway the session.
Butler eventually claimed Bernard’s wicket as the right-hander dragged a ball from outside the off-stump onto his wicket going for a pull shot.
Bernard, whose maiden first-class century -- 109 against Guyana at Berbice last year -- also came in a Carib Beer International Challenge semifinal match, batted 314 minutes, faced 227 balls, and struck 10 fours and two sixes.
Rookie Odean Brown contributed a useful 32, with three boundaries in a 61-run ninth-wicket stand with Bernard that helped to frustrate the Windwards bowlers, who had reduced the Jamaicans to an unsteady 90 for four on Thursday’s opening day.
Captain Rawl Lewis (1-61) wrapped up the innings when he bowled Brown off the inside edge, leaving Andrew Richardson not out on five.
Butler finished as the top bowler with three for 78 off 27 overs, supported by Thomas, two for 59 off 26 overs, and off-spinner Shane Shillingford, two for 70 off 28 overs.
With an hour to bat before tea, the Windwards were confined by tight bowling and lost Rommel Curency (2) before the break, edging an out-swinger from pacer Andrew Richardson to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh at 13 for one.
They went to tea at 21 for one and at the end of the day, needed a resistant fifth-wicket partnership between Lewis and Fedee to drag them out of an unsafe position of 86 for four.
The 35-year Perry, recalled this week to fill the breach left by injured captain Gareth Breese, snared two wickets that significantly dented the visitors’ top-order.
First the off-spinner claimed the prized wicket of opening batsman Devon Smith, the season’s most prolific scorer, and triggered a three-wicket slide for the addition of just one run.
Immediately after achieving his half-century, the left-handed Smith drove firmly into the offside only to see Tamar Lambert snatch a magnificent low catch, tumbling at short extra cover.
Smith made 51 off 103 balls, with five boundaries.
Without addition to the score, Perry then accepted an easy return catch from the left-handed Kenroy Martin (0) that reduced the Windwards to 85 for three, and one run later, medium pacer Bernard, getting sharp inward movement, trapped young Craig Emmanuel leg-before-wicket for 28.
Perry finished with tidy figures of two for 30 off 14 overs with three maidens, while Richardson had one for 23 off eight overs, and Bernard ended with one for 30 off six overs.
Lewis played positively for his unfinished 39-ball 26 that included five boundaries, while Fedee, who took 27 balls to get off the mark, supported his captain with solid defence.
JAMAICA 1st innings (o/n 215 for 6)
C.Gayle c wkp. James b Thomas 0
M.Kepple c Smith b Shillingford 39
D.Pagon c wkp. James b Butler 45
T.Lambert c Butler b Shillingford 1
K.Hibbert c wkp. James b Sammy 17
D.Bernard b Butler 120
C.Baugh run-out 11
N.Perry b Butler 27
D.Powell c Sammy b Thomas 24
O.Brown b Lewis 32
A.Richardson not out 5
Extras: (lb-5, w-1, nb-11) 17
Total; (all out) 338
Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-88, 3-88, 4-90, 5-132, 6-170, 7-221, 8-261, 9-322.
Bowling: Thomas 26-5-59-2 (nb-2), Butler 27-5-78-3 (nb-4), Sammy 18-3-56-1, Lewis 28.5-8-61-1 (nb-4), Shillingford 28-7-70-2 (nb-2), Martin 1-0-4-0, Smith 2-0-5-0.
WINDWARDS 1st innings
D.Smith c Lambert b Perry 51
R.Currency c wkp. Baugh b Richardson 2
C.Emmanuel lbw Bernard 28
K.Martin c & b Perry 0
S.Fedee not out 9
R.Lewis not out 26
Extras: (lb-1, nb-4) 5
Total: (for 4 wickets) 121
Fall of wickets: 1-13, 2-85, 3-85, 4-86.
Bowling: Powell 9-1-24-0, Richardson 8-2-23-1, Gayle 6-3-11-0, Perry 14-3-30-2 (nb-4), Bernard 6-2-30-1, Brown 2-1-2-0.