Jamaica were dismissed for 147 and Trinidad and Tobago, in reply were 36 for one. All in all, day one of the regional four-day contest at Sabina Park, Jamaica was a good one for Denesh Ramdin’s men against the defending champions who are chasing their sixth straight Regional Four-Day crown.
Jamaica found themselves with their backs against the wall as seamer Rayad Emrit snatched the first four wickets to put pressure on the hosts before left-arm spinner Kavesh Kantasingh grabbed five wickets for 35 runs to ensure there was no recovery.
Jamaica’s collapse was prompted by Emrit, who broke the back of Jamaica’s batting as the hosts slipped from 52 without loss to 72 for three in the first session.
The Jamaicans were unable to capitalise on an opening stand between Danza Hyatt and Brenton Parchment. Emrit rattled the stumps of the latter for 25 and never looked back.
Nkrumah Bonner did not last long. He sent a catch to Kantasingh with his score on eight to give Emrit his second scalp before Jermaine Blackwood found Marlon Richards to give the T&T pacer his third as Jamaica went to lunch at 78 for three.
Wickets continued to tumble after the break, with Emrit picking up his fourth before Kantasingh entered the fray, hungry for wickets after being overlooked for T&T’s first four matches.
He promptly put the visitors on top with a double strike with the score on 105. The left-arm spinner drew Dave Bernard out of his crease to be stumped by wicketkeeper Ramdin, before Jamaican wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jr was trapped lbw off the next delivery.
Jamaica showed no sign of recovery as wickets continued to fall in heaps and after Hyatt fell to Shannon Gabriel for a top-score of 57, Kantasingh quickly cleaned up the tail, sending back Andrew Richardson and Sheldon Cotterell in his 18th over.
Despite losing Adrian Barath early in their chase, T&T will still be pleased with their work.
Although they got the Jamaicans out cheaply, T&T will be in for a fight as they try to take a first innings lead in the face of an experienced Jamaica spin attack led by left-arm spinner Miller who has 30 wickets in three matches so far this season.
4-DAY SCOREBOARD
Jamaica vs T&T
Jamaica 1st Inns
D Hyatt lbw Gabriel 57
B Parchment b Emrit 25
N Bonner c Kantasingh b Emrit 8
J Blackwood c Richards b Emrit 0
T Lambert c Khan b Emrit 8
D Bernard stp wk Ramdin b Kantasingh 0
C Baugh lbw Kantasingh 0
N Miller lbw Kantasingh 4
A Richardson not out 8
O Brown c Barath b Kantasingh 12
S Cotterell c Khan b Kantasingh 0
Extras (B11, LB10, W1, NB3) 25
TOTAL (all out; 49.4 overs) 147
Wickets at: 52, 64, 73, 104, 105, 105, 119, 133, 147, 147
BOWLING: Gabriel 11-2-38-1 (1w, 1nb); Richards 7-1-21-0 (2nb); Emrit 14-4-35-4; Kantasingh 17.4-7-35-5
T&T 1st Inns
A Barath c Blackwood b Richardson 3
L Simmons not out 25
K Ottley not out 7
EXTRAS: (W1) 1
TOTAL (for one wicket; 10.3 overs)
To bat: Mohammed, Ramdin, Khan, Cariah, Emrit, Richards, Gabriel, Kantasingh
Fall of wicket: 5
BOWLING: Richardson 5-1-12-1 (1w); Cotterell 3-0-8-0; Dave Bernard 2-0-4-0; Brown 0.3-0-12-0
Toss: Won by T&T who elected to bowl
