It was one of the better days for the national cricket team in the West Indies Cricket Board Professional Cricket League, as Jason Mohammed's half-century (62) gave T&T the edge against Jamaica at the end of the opening day at Sabina Park in Kingston, Jamaica.
Batting first, T&T made 277 all out in the first innings before Jamaica closed the day on 12/1. Right-handed Mohammed along with Yannick Ottley was forced to restore the innings after a disappointing effort by the T&T top order left the visitors on 65/4. Already dismissed at this stage were Evin Lewis, Imran Khan, Ottley's older brother Kjorn and Yannic Cariah. Mohammed and Ottley survived a tricky period before lunch, progressing to 83/4.
Mohammed, who led T&T to the Nagico Super50 title recently with a century in the final against Guyana, built a solid partnership with Ottley in the second session. The pair took T&T past 100 but just before they got to 150, Ottley was trapped leg before by Odean Brown for 39 to leave T&T on 149/5. The partnership between Mohammed and Ottley was 84.
Mohammed continued to score fairly quickly, bringing up his 50 in 92 balls. Mohammed found an able partner in wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo, who made 27 before being dismissed to leave T&T on 198/6. T&T lost two more quick wickets including Mohammed for 62 as T&T was reduced to 210/8, but some lower order resistance took the Nagico Super50 champions to 277 all out. The last wicket partnership between Akeal Hosein and Marlon Richards was worth 42 runs.
Spin bowler Damion Jacobs was the top bowler for the Jamaicans snatching 4/70 in 24 overs, while Jason Dawes (2/46) and Odean Brown (2/69) both took two wickets.
In other matches, Barbados made a solid start against Guyana closing on 258/5 at Kensington Oval. In St Lucia, Windward Islands ended the day on 92/3 after dismissing Leeward Islands for 161.
All matches continue today from 10 am local time.
Scoreboard
T&T RED FORCE 1st Innings
E Lewis c Bernard b Dawes 0
I Khan lbw b G Brown 13
K Ottley lbw b Jacobs 35
Y Cariah lbw b Bernard 9
J Mohammed c King b Jacobs 62
Y Ottley lbw b O Brown 39
+S Katwaroo c King b Jacobs 27
A Hosein c Miller b Dawes 39
R Emrit c Blackwood b O Brown 5
D St Clair lbw b Jacobs 17
M Richards not out 17
Extras (b2, lb6, w3, nb3) 14
TOTAL (all out, 72 overs) 277
Fall of wickets: 1-2, 2-20, 3-65, 4-65, 5-149, 6-198, 7-203, 8-210, 9-235, 10-277.
Bowling: Dawes 16-7-46-2, G Brown 11-3-47-1, Bernard 11-2-37-1, Jacobs 24-3-70-4, O Brown 10-2-69-2.
JAMAICA 1st Innings
+H Miller lbw b Richards 4
J Campbell not out 5
J Blackwood not out 3
TOTAL (1 wkt, 8 overs) 12
Fall of wickets: 1-4.
To bat: B King, T Lambert, D Bernard Jr, C Burton, J Dawes, D Jacobs, O Brown, G Brown.
Bowling: Richards 3-0-7-1, Emrit 2-1-2-0, St Clair 2-2-0-0, Imran Khan 1-0-3-0.
Position: Jamaica trail by 265 runs with nine wickets intact.
Toss: Jamaica.
Umpires: Patrick Gustard, Leslie Reifer Jr.
OTHER SCORES
At Kensington Oval: Barbados 258/5 (Kraigg Brathwaite 102, Shai Hope 69, Kyle Corbin 46, Devendra Bishoo 4/66) vs Guyana.
At Beausejour: Leeward Islands 161 (Devon Thomas 38, Gavin Tonge 37, Lyndell Richardson 22, Kenroy Peters 6/24, Delorn Johnson 2/20) vs Windward Islands 92/3 (Orlando Peters 1/21, Sherwin Peters 1/14, Rahkeem Cornwall 1/8).