KINGSTON, Jamaica (CMC) – Jamaica produced a sterling lower order effort to snatch vital first innings points over England Lions on the penultimate day of their final round match in the Regional First Class Championship yesterday. Resuming the day on 259 for four still 100 runs adrift of England Lions’ 358, the hosts got 42 from Chadwick Walton and 40 from veteran left-hander Wavell Hinds, before they were dismissed for 376.
At the close, the Lions were 149 for three, a lead of 131 runs heading into today’s final day at Sabina Park.
Hinds and Brendan Nash stretched their fifth-wicket stand to 76 before both fell within the space of four balls to leg-spinner Danny Briggs (5-121).
Test left-hander Nash departed for 65, adding just nine to his overnight score while Hinds, who resumed the day on five, stroked five fours and a six off 95 balls.
With the bulk of their batting wiped out, Jamaica seemed poised to miss out on the lead but Walton anchored a 39-run, seventh-wicket stand with Akeen Dewar who occupied the crease for 78 minutes and 61 balls for his two.
Walton struck six fours off 82 balls before giving Briggs a return catch at 355 for eight but the tail wagged to ensure Jamaica carved out a small lead of 18. Lions suffered an early setback when Adam Lyth fell for one with the score on 11 but Andrew Gale (57) and James Adams (38) restored order with a 91-run, second wicket partnership.