NAIN, St Elizabeth, (CMC) - Keith Hibbert stroked his maiden first-class century as Jamaica played to a draw with the Windward Islands at Sabina Park yesterday and secured another appearance in the Carib Beer International final.
The Jamaicans reached 372 for five in their second innings and -- on the strength of their first innings lead -- secured a fourth consecutive appearance in the International Challenge final.
The game ended prematurely shortly after tea when some spectators, incensed by the Jamaicans’ decision to bat on and not declare, threw bottles onto field.
Match referee Hugh Perry consulted the umpires and called off the game with a minimum of 26.2 overs remaining.
At the end, Hibbert was not out on 102, with Carlton Baugh (40) in an unfinished sixth-wicket stand of 113 that painted a lopsided spectacle for the fans.
From an overnight 145 for two, the Jamaicans played solidly and invalidated any lingering hopes the Windwards may have had of a dramatic turn around in the game.
Tamar Lambert and Donovan Pagon built a 67-run third wicket partnership that ended when medium pacer Darren Sammy dislodged Pagon (25) at 184 for three.
Pagon never played with his usual authority and departed when he hung his bat at a wide delivery and edged a catch to wicketkeeper Lyndon James.
Lambert, who graduated from the 2003 Shell Cricket Academy with the ‘Best Cricketer’ award, did not last long after the break, taken with Jamaica at 237 for three.
He spanked 10 fours and hit one six, pulling Butler over square leg, but departed for 82 when his attempted drive found the Windwards’ captain Rawl Lewis at backward point, ending a 73-run stand with Hibbert, who flourished in an attacking mid-afternoon innings.
Jamaica, the 2001 champions, dipped to 259 for five, when first innings century-maker Dave Bernard was caught at cover -- by Craig Emmanuel -- driving at Butler, without scoring.
But the 23-year-old Hibbert, who had been earmarked two seasons ago as the successor to Ridley Jacobs as West Indies wicketkeeper until Baugh snatched that position, became increasingly dominant.
He lashed three sixes, including two against off-spinner Shane Shillingford in consecutive balls to reach his fifty and counted nine fours en route to his century, which he achieved by sweeping leg-spinner Lewis to the square leg boundary.
Hibbert went to tea on exactly 100 and the game finished 15 minutes into the last session.
Baugh’s 40 came off 55 balls and included two fours and one six as the Jamaicans took their spot in the late March final against reigning champions Barbados in a repeat of last year’s championship decider.
Butler led the Windwards’ bowling with two for 73 off 19 overs.