BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Aldaine Thomas narrowly missed out on three figures despite playing superbly but his innings put Jamaica in an excellent position to force and outright win over Barbados on today’s final day of the third round of matches in the Regional Under-19 three-day Championship.
He compiled a splendid career-best innings of 91 which enabled Jamaica to gain a challenging lead of 142 runs.
They were eventually all out for 248 from 96.1 overs after they had resumed yesterday from an overnight 62 for four in reply to Barbados’ 106. Medium pacer Marlon Welcome-Goodman claimed three for 63 while left-arm spinner Chad Williams and off-spinner Neil Persaud both finished with two for 35.
When gloomy light finished play at the Weymouth Sports Complex, Barbados were one without loss.
Thomas, in his second year of competition, shared in a magnificent eighth-wicket partnership of 97 off 42.2 overs with Raghni Francis who made a defiant 24.
After the first session was delayed by 95 minutes due to rain, Brandon King was caught at first slip by Jameel Stuart off Welcome-Goodman for seven.
Thomas began the morning on nought and put on 31 for the sixth-wicket with Brian Gayle to set the platform where the last five wickets provided 183 runs. Occupying the crease for 391 minutes, Thomas struck four fours and one six from 215 deliveries. Gayle was caught at the wicket from one that bounced and turned from Williams for 14.
Afterward, Delbert Gayle lashed a robust 29 in a seventh-wicket stand of 41 with Thomas, with Gayle facing 49 balls and striking two fours and two sixes.
Gayle, shaping to leg, was well caught by Akeem Jordan running to his left at extra-cover off Williams.
Thomas and Francis then frustrated Barbados and they took the total to 167 for seven at tea with Thomas was 40 and Francis 11.
After the interval, he brought up his fifty with a steer to third-man for two off Jordan in the third over with the second new-ball which was taken at 176 for seven.
Welcome-Goodman finally broke the alliance having Francis caught behind off by Shai Hope, after he batting for 175 minutes, faced 122 balls and hit one four.
Thomas’ marathon innings climaxed 30 minutes before the re-scheduled end at 6: 00 p.m, as he groped at one and was caught by Hope off part-time medium-pacer Craig St. Hill.
Scoreboard
BARBADOS 1 st Innings 106
JAMAICA 1 st Innings
(overnight 62 for four)
*O. Walters c wkp Hope b Jordan 9
O. Mc Cattty c (sub) Maynard
b Welcome-Goodman 13
T. Coleman c Williams b Persaud 25
T. Creary lbw b Persaud 2
B. King c Stuart b Welcome-Goodman 7
+A. Thomas c wkp Hope b St. Hill 91
B. Gayle c wkp Hope b Williams 14
D. Gayle c Jordan b Williams 29
R. Francis c wkp Hope
b Welcome-Goodman 24
C. Powell not out 9
J. McDonald b Greenidge 2
Extras (lb2, nb19, w2) 23
TOTAL (all out, 96.1 overs) 248
Fall of wickets: 1-12, 2-35, 3-56, 4-59, 5- 65, 6-91, 7- 132, 8- 229, 9-239, 10-248.
Bowling: Greenidge 14.1-7-15-1 (nb2), Jordan 15-0-62-1 (nb1), Welcome-Goodman 18-1-62-3 (nb11, w1), Williams 21-7-35-2 (nb5), Persaud 15-4-35-2, Jones 1-0-10-0 , Moseley 4-2-3-0 (w1), Brathwaite 3-0-5-0 , St. Hill 5-0-19-1.
BARBADOS 2nd Innings
C. St. Hill not out 1
S. Moseley not out 0
TOTAL (without loss, 1 over) 1
Bowling: Mc Donald 1-0-1-0.
Position: Barbados need 141 more runs to make Jamaica bat again.
Umpires: Jonathan Blades, Nandkumar Shivsankar.
