INNSWOOD, Jamaica, (CMC) – Defending champions Jamaica were within sight of victory over Windward Islands in the WICB regional first-class competition yesterday.

Jamaica, chasing 98 for victory, reached 20 for two in their second innings, when rain and bad light stopped play 25 minutes before the scheduled close on the third day of the first round match at Chedwin Park.

About half-hour earlier, the Jamaicans – leading by 154 runs on first innings – had dismissed the Windwards for 251 in their second innings.

Rawl Lewis, the former Windwards captain, led the way with a purposeful, unbeaten 63, and found steady support in the lower order from Lyndon James and Kenroy Peters.

Dave Bernard Jr, Nikita Miller, and Odean Brown all finished with two wickets.

But the home team stumbled at the start of their chase, when Nelon Pascal had Brenton Parchment caught at cover for a duck, and Rawl Lewis had Donovan Pagan caught at mid-off for eight before the weather spared them any further palpitations.

Earlier, Jamaica put down three chances, but still succeeded in restricting the Windwards to 110 for four at lunch.

Night-watchman Shane Shillingford was lbw to Bernard for 12, and Keddy Lesporis was spectacularly caught at mid-on for 13 when Wavell Hinds held a fine diving one-handed catch off the same bowler.

Windwards suffered another setback, when Andre Fletcher was also lbw for 21 to Odean Brown, after Pagon had dropped him on zero at gully off Nikita Miller, who also felt the pain when Brown put him down on 17 at mid-on.

After lunch, Jamaica continued to make inroads into the Windwards batting, and the visitors were wobbling at 183 for eight at tea.

Just when it appeared Windwards would stage a fight back, they were rocked when their captain Darren Sammy, opener Tyrone Theophile, and all-rounder Liam Sebastien fell in quick succession.

Sammy was run out, when he failed to beat Andrew Richardson’s direct hit at the striker’s end from square leg, and Theophile gave Brown a tame return catch to see the Windwards dip from 120 for three to 125 for five.

There were further woes for the Windwards, when Miller trapped Sebastien lbw for four, but Lewis, whose 82 not out was the top score in the first innings, and James shared in the best stand of the innings of 53 for the eighth wicket.

This was highlighted by some big-hitting from James who made 33 before he was caught, low down at mid-on by Pagon to give Miller his ninth wicket of the match.

Peters joined Lewis and frustrated Jamaica further in a partnership of 45 for the ninth wicket before the home team captain Tamar Lambert, bowling his uncomplicated off-spin, got him lbw for 26.

Lewis duly reached his second half-century of the match from 126 balls, and enjoyed himself towards the end of the innings with a couple of lofty hits that yielded six fours and three sixes before Pascal was run out to bring the innings to a close.