NAIN, St Elizabeth — Marlon Samuels reigned supreme at the Alpart Sports Club yesterday.

The 30-year-old righthander — in his maiden first-class game since last year’s completion of a two-year ban by the ICC — smashed his highest regional first-class score, an unbeaten 250 to give champions Jamaica dominance on the third day of their WICB four-day season opener.

Samuels’ second double century, following 257 in a tour-game in Australia five years ago, allowed the

Jamaicans the luxury of a declaration at 391-4 midway the post tea session, leaving the visitors a victory target of 359 in a minimum 111 overs.

By the close, Guyana who claimed first innings points with a 33-run lead, were doing very well in their second

innings at 58 without loss. Their young right-handed openers Rajendra Chandrika, 37 (two fours, one six, 60

balls) and Shemroy Barrington, 19 (68 balls) were coping impressively with the pace/spin Jamaican attack.

Scores entering today’s fourth and last day: Jamaica 150 and 391-4 declared; Guyana 183 and 58-0.

On a pitch which improved considerably yesterday compared to the first two days when it was dodgy at best, the young Guyanese team will be lovingly harbouring thoughts of February four years ago at Alpart. Back then Trinidad and Tobago chased down 320 for the loss of just four wickets on the last day to comfortably beat Jamaica.

Today, Guyana will need a further 301 to win in a minimum 90 overs, with all their wickets in hand.

The Jamaicans will be comforted by the disconcerting bounce and turn extracted by wrist spinner Odean Brown in late afternoon as he pitched in the rough created by bowlers’ foot marks.

In a carnival atmosphere, before a bumper crowd, Samuels having resumed from an overnight 51, punished all bowlers with flowing, elegant strokes to all parts of the ground. For the crowd, many of whom danced and chanted to music dedicated to the late Bob Marley on his birthday, Samuels’ seven sixes — three inside out over wide long off — were cause for great celebration.

But for cricket’s truest connoisseurs, Samuels’ cutting — square and late — which has not always been a strong feature of his game will perhaps stick longest in the memory.

All told, he stroked 22 fours, 18 yesterday, and faced 320 balls. Having reached the seventh century of his first-class career — cutting the offspin of Royston Crandon to the third man boundary forty minutes before lunch — Samuels stepped up thepace in the afternoon session.

From a lunch time 116, he raced to 206 in the two hours before tea, registering the first double century in first-class cricket at Alpart in the process. And in 48 minutes prior to the declaration in the post-tea session, he scored a further 44 runs.

“I am just carrying on from the good form I have shown in recent times in the 20-20 tournament and in the Jamaica Trials,” Samuels told journalists at day’s end. He maintained that the wearing pitch and its variable bounce means Guyana will have “a very steep incline to climb” in order to win.

Samuels totally dominated a stand of 97 for the third wicket with Brendan Nash, who made 25 before retiring hurt with a hamstring strain. A move later described by trainer Gibbs Williams as a “precautionary measure”. Following the loss of skipper Tamar Lambert (five) caught at gully off pacer Esaun Crandon, Samuels was even more dominant in a partnerships of 104 with Wavell Hinds (21) and 67 with David Bernard 15 not out.

Samuels had close calls at 76 when a huge appeal for a bat/pad catch to Royston Crandon was rejected by umpire Clancy Mack and again at 206 when he was dropped by Leon Johnson at slip off Permaul.

In the circumstances, the Guyanese stood up well to the pressure with pacers Esaun Crandon (2-72), Brandon Bess (1-53) and wrist spinner Devendra Bishoo being the successful bowlers.

Well rested overnight, they will be dreaming of pride and glory today.

Scoreboard

JAMAICA 1st Innings 150 (Brandon Bess 5-28)

GUYANA 1st Innings 183

JAMAICA 2nd Innings

(overnight 128 for two)

D Hyatt c Barrington b E Crandon 17

S Jackson b Bishoo 49

M Samuels not out 250

B Nash ret hurt 25

*T Lambert c R Crandon b E Crandon 5

W Hinds b Bess 21

D Bernard not out 15

Extras (b6, w1, nb2) 9

TOTAL (4 wkts decl., 114.4 overs) 391

Fall of wickets: 1-19, 2-107, 3-220, 4-325.

Bowling: E Crandon 18-0-72-2, Bess 14-0-53-1, Bishoo 26-1-87-1, Permaul 35.4-8-115-0, R Crandon 16-2-50-0, Fudadin 2-0-8-0.

GUYANA 2nd Innings (target: 359)

S Barrington not out 19

R Chandrika not out 37

Extras (nb2) 2

TOTAL (without loss, 21 overs) 58

Bowling: 5-1-8-0, Cotterel 4-1-15-0, Bernard 3-0-9-0, Brown 5-1-9-0, Lambert 4-1-17-0.

Toss: Guyana.

Position: Guyana require 301 runs to win with all their wickets in tact.

Umpires: Clancy Mack, Vivian Johnson.