It was the turn of the national fast bowlers yesterday, as the T&T fast bowling trio led by Shannon Gabriel gave the local team the advantage over Jamaica at the end of day two in the regional four-day tournament at the Queen's Park Oval in Port-of-Spain.This season, the national spin bowlers have been leading the charge for T&T, but yesterday the fast bowlers had Jamaica on the back foot early. Resuming on 24/0 yesterday in the first innings, 220 runs behind T&T, Jamaica had a first session to forget. Three wickets from Gabriel reduced the visitors to 95/5 at lunch. Fast bowlers Marlon Richards and captain Rayad Emrit also got in on the fun, taking one wicket apiece.
In the second session, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as Jamaica failed to put together partnerships. The highest partnership being 42. Gabriel unfortunately had to leave the field, injuring himself while bowling. Some excellent fielding supported the fast bowlers. With the score on 168/7, Darren Bravo, fielding at first slip off spin bowler Ricky Jaipaul, ran out Damion Jacobs. Bravo fielded the ball to his right and disturbed the furniture of Jacobs, trying to steal a single.Emrit could not follow Bravo's effort, misjudging a catch fielding at mid-off off Jaipaul's bowling. Imran Khan and Jaipaul got the remaining two wickets to dismiss the Jamaicans for 180 just before tea, a first innings deficit of 64 runs.
T&T got off to a bad start in the second innings, as Adrian Barath's poor run of form continued. Barath was out lbw to fast bowler Jerome Taylor for two, leaving T&T on 6/1. Taylor could of gotten his second shorly after with the score on 17/1, but a simple catch was dropped in the covers as Evin Lewis survived. Bravo also lived dangerously, getting an edge off Taylor, but the ball dropped short of second slip. Bravo then started to control the T&T innings, hitting Taylor for two fours in one over. Left-handed Bravo was now 27 off 29 balls, with four fours and a six.At the drinks break T&T was in a relatively comfortable position, as it progressed to 53/1, an overall lead of 117 runs. Lewis showed more aggression in the final hour, closing the day on 43 not out, which included four fours. Bravo is unbeaten on 45 with five fours and a six. T&T closed on 94/1, an overall lead of 158 runs.
SCOREBOARD
Jamaica 1st Innis
(Overnight 24/0)
Jon Ross Campbell lbw b M Richards 31
John Campbell b S Gabriel 18
N Bonner c S Katwaroo b R Emrit 1
J Blackwood b S Gabriel 9
T Lambert c K Pollard b S Gabriel 0
A McCarthy c D Bravo b I khan 45
C Baugh Jr+ c I khan b M Richards 14
N Miller not out 28
D Jacobs run out(D Bravo) 20
J Taylor b I khan 6
B Buchanan lbw b R Jaipaul 1
Extras 2nb 1w 2lb 2b 7
Total all out 180
Bowling: S Gabriel 14-3-48-3, M Richards 13-3-32-2, R Jaipaul 15-4-31-1 R Emrit 10-2-24-1, I khan 11-2-41-2
Fall of Wkts: 39, 44, 59, 59, 69, 95, 137, 168, 177, 180
T&T 2nd Innis
A Barath lbw b J Taylor 2
E Lewis not out 43
D Bravo not out 45
Still to bat: J Mohammed, K Pollard, R Emrit , S Katwaroo+, R Jaipaul, I khan, S Gabriel, M Richards
Extras 4b 4
Total for 1 wicket 94
Bowling: J Taylor 6-1-21-1, B Buchanan 4-0-17-0, T Lambert 8-2-21-0, N Miller 9-4-11-0, D Jacobs 7-3-20-0
Fall of Wkt: 6
Other Scores:
Guyana vs Leewards
At Vivian Richards Cricket Ground: Guyana lead by 113 runs.
GUYANA 240 (Leon Johnson 110, Anthony Bramble 28; Anthony Martin 4-48, Gavin Tonge 2-43, Yannick Leonard 2-51) and 47 for two (Trevon Griffith 30 not out) vs LEEWARD ISLANDS 174 (Devon Thomas 71, Tonito Willett 27; Keon Joseph 4-53, Zahir Mohamed 3-12)
CCC vs Windwards
At Arnos Vale: CCC lead by 134 runs
COMBINED CAMPUSES & COLLEGES 225 (Kyle Corbin 79, Chadwick Walton 58; Nelon Pascal 4-52, Liam Sebastien 2-51) and 66 for four (Mervin Matthew 2-10, Liam Sebastien 2-24) vs WINDWARD ISLANDS 157 (Romel Currency 35 not out, Tyrone Theophile 23, Keddy Lesporis 22; Ryan Austin 8-58)