KINGSTON, Jamaica,  CMC – Akeem Saunders and Hayden Walsh stroked half-centuries to bolster the Leeward Islands’ batting against Jamaica on the opening day of their third-round TCL Group West Indies Under-19 match yesterday.

Choosing to bat after winning the toss at Melbourne, the Leewards gathered a fighting 267 all out and Jamaica finished on four without loss in reply at stumps.

Joint leaders Leewards had a stuttering innings but Saunders (52) and Walsh (56) rallied them against spinners Akeem Dewar and Patrick Harty, who combined for seven wickets.

Fresh from back-to-back wins in their first two matches in the series, the Leewards slipped to 32 for two before recovering to go to the lunch-break at 86 for two.

Captain Kejel Tyson, whose robust 87 steered the Leewards to a come-from-behind win over Barbados in the second round on Wednesday, was first to go.

He miscued a cover drive off pacer Nicholas Gordon and lofted a catch to mid-off to depart cheaply for four with the score on 25 for one.