J’cans should watch Banks, Cornwall
IN 34 battles with the Leeward Islands in four-day regional cricket, Jamaica have won 13 and lost 12, while nine matches have ended in draws.
The Tamar Lambert-led Jamaicans, feeling confident with the six-wicket victory over the Windward Islands in their opening fixture, therefore know that the Steve Liburd-captained Leewards will get down to business from the outset to derail their bid for their third consecutive triumph of the competition.
Just over a year ago at Warner Park, when Leewards won the toss and decided to bat, Omari Banks built a patient 108 from 277 balls (7x4s, 2x6s) to spur the home team to 298 all out in 116 overs. Odean Brown snared 5-82 and Gavin Wallace 3-53.
Donovan Pagon (62) and Tamar Lambert (38) spearheaded the response and fell short on first innings when Antiguan Anthony Martin raked in 5-48 to cut short Jamaica for 227 in 75.1 overs.
Wallace mowed down the Leewards in the second innings, taking 8-20 to pave the way for Jamaica’s six-wicket win.
A month later at Sabina Park (Feb 27-Mar 2, 2009), skipper Liburd, after Jamaica won the toss and decided to field, cracked 116 off 143 balls.
His 213-minute stay, which included six fours and four sixes, only carried the visitors to 221 all out in 66.2 overs. Yet Jamaica came up short by one run on first innings, Brenton Parchment (75) and David Bernard (51 not out) leading the way. Wilden Cornwall, right-arm medium pacer, grabbed 5-37.
In the second innings, Cornwall, batting at No 5, hit 13 fours in his 102 as Leewards managed 202 in 76 overs.
Xavier Marshall, out for a first-ball duck earlier, stood up with 61 (7x4s, 1×6) and David Bernard added 44 off 56 balls, but Jamaica lost by 28 runs as Gavin Tonge, a right-arm fast-medium, achieved first-class best figrures of 7-58.
Against Jamaica, Antiguan Banks has two centuries, one half-century and 43 wickets while his fellow countryman Cornwall has two centuries, one half-century and 19 wickets.
They are the players the Jamaicans will have to pay special attention to as the four-day regional competition goes into the second round.
