NAIN, Jamaica (CMC) – Undermined by frail batting, Trinidad & Tobago meekly conceded first innings honours to Jamaica but their ninth round WICB Regional four-day encounter remained delicately balanced after the second day yesterday. Resuming at 18 without loss in pursuit of Jamaica’s 275, T&T failed to build significant partnerships and slumped to a disappointing 190 all out, still 85 runs shy of their target.

T&T’s bowlers then made crucial strikes to leave Jamaica struggling at 54 for three at the close, only 139 runs ahead heading into the third day at the Alpart Sports Club.

On a day when 13 wickets tumbled for just 244 runs, only in-form opener Adrian Barath with 58 managed to shine as bowlers dominated in southern Jamaica.

Fast bowlers Andrew Richardson (3-62) and Jason Dawes (2-40) sliced through Trinidad’s top order before medium pacer Dave Bernard finished off the innings with a haul of three for 37.

The visitors had a miserable start, losing Imran Khan for four with the score on 30 and with no addition to the total, also lost captain Daren Ganga for a first-ball duck, caught at the wicket by Carlton Baugh.

Barath partnered Kieron Pollard who scored 29, to repair the innings with a 47-run stand and put T&T back on course.

The right-handed Barath, who moved to 498 runs with his knock, counted eight fours off 91 balls in an innings lasting 128 minutes while an unusually sedate Pollard managed just two fours in an innings that spanned 94 balls and 124 minutes.

Barath fell before lunch leaving T&T on 87 for three at the interval but things grew worse afterwards, as the visitors lost five quick wickets to slump to 148 for eight at tea.

Darren Bravo, batting down the order, hit an important 96-ball 41 with five fours to prop up the innings and was last out after sharing a face-saving 31-run, last-wicket stand with Magnum Nanan (14 not out).

Xavier Marshall’s luckless run then continued when he fell for four to leave Jamaica at 23 for one, and the wickets of fellow opener Brenton Parchment (20) and captain Tamar Lambert (13) then tumbled as bowlers continued to dominate.