Jamaica cruise to seven-wicket win over Leewards
IT was a sterling opening performance by the Jamaican team as they steamrolled defending champions Leeward Islands in the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Regional Super50 cricket competition at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
Jamaica won the toss and chose to field and then routed out the opposition for 96 in 30.2 overs then comfortably reached 101 – 3 in 15.4 overs winning by seven wickets.
The day had a late start with overnight and early morning rainfall which caused the match to lose 90 minutes of play and the overs to be reduced to 45 -a-side.
However, as the day progressed the skies became clearer and sun emerged but by the time it was in full strive, the match had already concluded.
In pursuit of the target, Kennar Lewis went on the attack dispatching the Leeward seamers Lionel Baker and Gavin Tonge to the boundary on several occasions while the hard hitting captain Chris Gayle decided to play himself in before going for the big shots.
The pair took Jamaica to 54 – 0 in eight overs then the umpires decided to go in for the lunch break. At the resumption, Gayle (22) was removed on the second ball by off spinner Justin Athanaze.
In the space of the next five runs, Shawn Findlay (1) and Lewis (28) were trapped lbw by Athanze and Jacques Taylor, respectively.
Former West Indian batsman Xavier Marshall and Tamar Lambert guided Jamaica to victory in style as Lambert smashed Taylor for two sixes and a four in the first four balls of the 16th over to take them past the target.
Earlier in the day, Jamaica struck early and removed the two top order batsmen cheaply which immediately placed them on top of the battle. Austin Richards went lbw to Krishmar Santokie for nine then Chesney Hughes was bowled the very next ball without scoring by Santokie, Leeward Islands were 12 – 2.
The other Leeward opening batsman, Javia Liburd followed soon after when he was trapped lbw by Odean Brown for 11 as they stumbled to 28 – 3.
There were no solid partnerships throughout the innings because of the Jamaican’s streak of picking up quick wickets in the match. Leeward Islands climbed to 46 – 4 after Orlando Peters was removed for seven then Montcin Hodge and Jahmar Hamilton both fell with the score on 49.
The defending champions continued to struggle but finally reached their first fifty in the 22nd over but nothing changed after that as the steady procession back to the dressing room by the batsmen continued.
Taylor was the seventh wicket to fall; he was removed with the score on 62; Tonge and Athanaze, the only significant scorer with 23, both fell when the  Leewards were at 86 and Jason Campbell was the final wicket to fall when he was run out.
Santokie finished with 3 – 30 from ten overs while Nikita Miller and Brown both grabbed two wickets each for 22 and 21 from nine and eight overs, respectively. They were supported by Andrew Richardson and Findlay who each claimed one wicket.

LEEWARD ISLANDS (maximum 45 overs)
*J. Liburd b Miller 11
A. Richards lbw b Santokie 9
C. Hughes b Santokie 0
M. Hodge c *Gayle b Brown 17
O. Peters lbw b Brown 7
+J. Hamilton b Findlay 1
J. Taylor lbw b Miller 4
J. Athanaze c *Gayle b Santokie 23
G. Tonge b Richardson 10
L. Baker not out 7
J. Campbell run out 3
Extras (lb2, w3) 5
TOTAL (all out, 35 overs) 96
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-12, 3-28, 4-46, 5-49, 6-49, 7-62, 8-86, 9-86
Bowling: Santokie 10-1-30-3, Richardson 7-3-12-1, Miller 9-1-22-2, Brown 8-2-21-2, Findlay 1-0-10-0

JAMAICA (target: 97 off 45 overs)
*C. Gayle b Athanaze 22
K. Lewis lbw b Taylor 28
X. Marshall not out 18
S. Findlay lbw b Athanaze 1
T. Lambert not out 24
Extras (w3, nb5) 8
TOTAL (3 wkts, 15.4 overs) 101
J. Blackwood, +C. Walton, N. Miller, O. Brown, A. Richardson, K. Santokie did not bat
Fall of wickets: 1-55, 2-57, 3-60
Bowling: Tonge 4-0-28-0, Baker 2-1-10-0, Campbell 2-0-17-0, Athanaze 4-0-16-2, Taylor 3.4-0-30-1
Points: Jamaica 8, Leewards -2