KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Donovan Pagon and David Bernard staged a half-century fifth-wicket partnership in an otherwise weak batting effort by Brenton Parchment’s XI in Jamaica’s latest practice match for the 2009 regional first-class season.

Sent in to bat at Sabina Park, Parchment’s XI wobbled against a six-wicket haul from off-spinner Yannick Elliott and closed the opening day on 228 for eight with Bevon Brown (18) and Gavin Wallace (16) the not-out batsmen.

Pagon and Bernard, two batsmen with brief Test records on their log, came together when Parchment’s XI had suffered a top-order slump against the Tamar Lambert XI.

Captain Parchment (29) and Danza Hyatt (11) had an opening stand of 38 but they slipped suddenly to 87 for four after Wavell Hinds (1) and Lorenzo Ingram (2) fell cheaply.

Pagon then stroked 69 with six boundaries and Bernard battled for 34 in a 61-run stand that revived the innings.

Hard-hitting fast bowler Andre Russell, batting at No.8, cracked 22 off 36 balls before he became the sixth victim for the all-rounder Elliott, who is not in the 14-man squad for their opening game against the Leeward Islands.

The 22-year-old Elliott, sometimes labelled a ‘part-time off-spinner’, finished with the impressive figures of six for 25 off 22 overs with 11 maidens.

Opening bowlers Andrew Richardson (0-47) and Jason Dawes (0-41) had no wickets and the other successful bowlers were pacer Ricardo Dacres (1-36) and leg-spinner Odean Brown (1-61).

Off-spinner Lambert, who will captain the Jamaica side this season, was economical with none for five off six overs.

The two-day game concluded yesterday.

Jamaica, the defending champions, begin their campaign in the new-look 2009 WICB Four-day Regional Tournament against the Leeward Islands in St Kitts on Friday.

The season has been extended to accommodate home-and-away games and is scheduled to end in mid-April.