Jamaica were 150-4 at the close yesterday in response to Barbados’ formidable 423 in the fifth-round Regional Four-day game at Sabina Park in Kingston.

In Jamaica’s reply, middle-order batsman Jermaine Blackwood stood out with an attractive 64 before a rash stroke led to his undoing when the team was nicely poised on 150-2 on a flat, batting-friendly pitch.

The decision to send in night watchman Brian Buchanan backfired on the Jamaicans as he was dismissed by the first ball he faced to hand Barbados a definite edge heading into the third day.

Scores: Barbados 423 (142.3 overs); Jamaica 150-4 (43 overs).

Play is scheduled to start this morning at 10:00 with Nkrumah Bonner on 31 and captain Tamar Lambert not out on zero and Jamaica in arrears by 273 runs.

While Barbadian Kirk Edwards led the way with a knock of 105 on Friday, his 22-year-old teammate, the wicketkeeper/batsman Shane Dowrich, was the star of day two with a maiden first-class century. Jamaica’s left-arm orthodox slow bowler Nikita Miller grabbed four wickets.

Yesterday, Barbados resumed from their overnight 275-6 with Dowrich and Jason Holder not out on 40 and 18, respectively.

The pair extended their seventh-wicket partnership to 85 runs before Holder (46) edged to wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh off medium pacer David Bernard with the score on 320.

But the small-framed Dowrich, whose previous best was 95 not out, expertly manipulated the bowling on both sides of the wicket in a compact and patient innings of 102. He hit five boundaries off 253 deliveries.

The former West Indies youth player put on 91 for the eighth wicket with Ashley Nurse (40) before the latter was dismissed by part-time off-spinner Lambert.

Dowrich gave Lambert his second wicket of the innings when he top edged a sweep and was caught on the long-leg boundary by Brian Buchanan.

Miller, who ended with 4-95 off 47 overs and three balls, wrapped up the innings when he sent back Sulieman Benn for nine.

Jamaica’s reply was positive as the unrelated opening pair of Jon-Ross Campbell and left-hander John Campbell took the score to 40.

Jon-Ross Campbell offered the small spattering of home spectators some joy with a few sweet strokes off the front and back-foot, but upon reaching 31 he carelessly pulled a short ball from Carlos Brathwaite straight to Roston Chase at deepish square leg.

The left-handed Campbell (21) followed a short while after when off-spinner Nurse trapped him leg-before-wicket with one that went on straight with the arm.

That dismissal brought together Bonner and number four batsman Blackwood and the pair added a sparkling 96 for the third wicket.

While Bonner often times withheld the urge to attack, though stroking the ball around the ground, the explosive Blackwood was mostly dismissive of the bowling in hammering seven fours and two sixes from 80 balls.

However, the gifted 22-year-old, who is yet to record a first-class century, played one attacking shot too many. In the final over of the day, he miscued a pull off part-time medium pacer Jonathan Carter and was caught at mid on by Carlos Brathwaite.

Buchanan was bowled by Carter’s very next delivery, but the potential hat-trick delivery was well-blocked by Lambert, as Barbados ended the day with a noticeable momentum.

(PHOTO: GARFIELD ROBINSON)