Jamaica frustrated by stubborn Barbados

BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – After scenting victory at one stage with Barbados tottering, Jamaica were frustratingly held to a draw on the final day of their third round encounter in the Regional Under-19 three-day Championship  yesterday.

Starting the day on one without loss, Barbados slipped to 53 for six, needing 89 more runs to avoid an innings defeat before Kemar Brathwaite and Darnell Greenidge, both in their debut year, glued the lower order together with a face-saving unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 15 which spanned 20.1 overs.

Brathwaite remained on 20 and Greenidge one, as Barbados reached 68 for six from 86 overs, at the Police Sports Complex.

Brathwaite batted for three hours and faced 184 balls, while Greenidge’s 82-ball knock spanned one hour.

Play only got on the way after lunch after the first session was abandoned due to a saturated bowler’s run-up at the southern end of the ground. Craig St. Hill was lbw playing across to off-spinner Oshane Walters for 13 as Barbados went to tea on 37 for two.

In the fourth over on resumption, Jamaica got the prized wicket of captain Shai Hope who was run out for eight in a terrible mix-up with Brathwaite. After a push to mid-on by Hope, the two batsmen ended up in the same crease at the striker’s end where the ball was thrown.
The ball was quickly relayed to the non-striker’s end and after some consultation by the umpires, Hope was adjudged out. He faced 85 balls in his 79 minutes stay.

Off-spinner Delbert Gayle, with two for 29, removed Marlon Welcome-Goodman and Aaron Jones in consecutive overs both without scoring.

That was to be Jamaica’s last success leaving the defending champions still seeking their first win.