OUT-OF-FAVOUR West Indies wicketkeeper/batsman Carlton Baugh Jnr battled to an unbeaten half-century as Jamaica were dismissed for 194 against the Windward Islands on the opening day of the Regional Four-day game at Sabina Park yesterday.

In reply, Windward Islands started at a brisk rate, before stumbling to 56-4 at the close, as off-spinner Jamie Merchant grabbed two wickets late on.

Opener Tyrone Theophile and middle-order batsman Romel Currency will resume on 27 and zero not out, respectively, when play begins at 10:00 am today.

Scores: Jamaica 194 (68 overs); Windward Islands 56-4 (17 overs).

Jamaica Captain Tamar Lambert said the “game is still in the open” after a “disappointing” first innings total of 194 runs, but added that the main aim is “to apply pressure early and get more wickets” on the second day.

The Windwards coach Ian Allen said it “was pretty good to restrict Jamaica for under 200”, but lamented that his batsmen “didn’t approach the target well” with a frenetic start to their innings.

Earlier, Baugh was at the heart of the rescue mission after Jamaica slumped to 92-4 in the post-lunch session. The 31-year-old pint-sized player survived a few nervous moments and hit five fours during his patient knock of 56 not out from 122 deliveries.

Windward Islands off-spinner Shane Shillingford, playing his first competitive game after being suspended late last year for an illegal bowling action, ran through the Jamaica lower order to take four wickets, while getting bounce and spin on a dry, but flat-looking batting surface.

After the Windwards won the toss and sent Jamaica to bat first, Johnson dismissed opener Horace Miller and Captain Tamar Lambert, while fast bowler Nelon Pascal removed left-handed opening batsman John Campbell, as Jamaica slipped to 23-3.

Horace Miller, who has endured a bad run this season, went caught for naught, while the in-form Campbell was trapped leg-before-wicket by Pascal for 18.

Lambert offered no shot and was bowled by Johnson.

The solid-looking Nkrumah Bonner (38 from 84 balls) and the free-scoring Jermaine Blackwood (36 from 59 deliveries) then added 69 for the fourth wicket, during which they brought Jamaica to 89-3 at lunch.

But shortly after the restart, Blackwood, who was dropped on 35 by the Windwards Captain Liam Sebastien off Shillingford, went in the following over.

The skipper, bowling steady off-spin, made amends when he induced an edge from Blackwood’s indecisive stroke and the catch was taken by wicketkeeper Lindon James.

Bonner went tamely a short while after when he swept a harmless delivery from Sebastien just backward of square into the hands of Shillingford at 107-5.

That brought the experienced pair of Baugh and all-rounder David Bernard (29) together as they combined to hold off the Windward Islands’ bowling surge.

They added 66 runs for the sixth wicket before the Windwards had further success.

Shillingford, the 31-year-old West Indies spinner, who was comfortably thwarted by Bonner and Blackwood throughout a fruitless opening spell, returned to trigger a Jamaican collapse which saw five wickets falling for 21 runs.

Bernard looked to launch a drive down the ground off Shillingford, but did not get the height on the shot and was caught by the bowler on the second attempt.

Shillingford, who finished with 4-61 off 16 overs, also accounted for Nikita Miller (2), Jamie Merchant (3) and Jerome Taylor (0) before left-arm seamer Kenroy Peters dismissed Brian Buchanan (0) to wrap up the innings.

Sebastien, who had to leave the field on a stretcher after hitting the back of his head while completing a tumbling catch, had 2-23, while left-arm pacer Delorn Johnson made early inroads to grab 2-41.

The Windwards coach said, at press time yesterday, that Sebastien showed signs of improvement while being monitored at the hospital.