THE VALLEY, Anguilla, CMC – Trinidad and Tobago’s ace spinner Amit Jaggernauth captured five wickets and prevented the Leeward Islands from flourishing on yesterday’s opening day of their 13th round WICB Regional Four-day match.
Electing to bat at the Ronald Webster Park, the Leeward Islands got a half-century from the Nevisian teenager Kieran Powell and closed on 290 for nine.
Off-spinner Jaggernauth, a fringe spinner for the West Indies during the home series against England, picked up five for 72 off 30 overs on a day highlighted by Leeward Islands batsmen getting starts but failing to carry on to big totals.
The improving Leewards, on a six-game unbeaten streak after starting the season with three defeats in their first four games, got a fair start from their openers. Powell and Montcin Hodge posted 47 for the first wicket before Hodge fell to Navin Stewart for 20.
In-form Runako Morton, coming off historic double hundreds in consecutive matches, looked solid before a terrible mix-up with Powell left him run-out for 10 and the Leewards 95 for two at lunch.
The 19-year-old Powell went on after lunch to stroke his third half century of the season but fell soon after for 57, caught behind off Jaggernauth at 116 for three.
Powell batted for 136 minutes, faced 102 balls and struck eight boundaries.
Jaggernauth also sent back Codville Rogers for 30 but the Leewards scored steadily during the session although they also lost Tonito Willett (27) to Imran Khan and three wickets overall in the session.
Captain Steve Liburd and Devon Thomas linked up and took the home side to 199 for five at tea.
They carved out a 73-run sixth-wicket partnership before a quick double-strike by Jaggernauth removed them and gave the initiative back to visiting T&T.
Liburd made 40 with three boundaries and Thomas scored 37 with three fours and both fell – to catches at cover by Daren Ganga — in successive overs by Jaggernauth.
Sherwin Ganga dislodged Gavin Tonge (1) at 246 for eight and Jaggernauth removed Brent Defreitas (13) at 267 for nine to complete his five-wicket haul.
Veteran Wilden Cornwall (32) and Anthony Martin (6) were not out at the close.
The Leewards, who drew with Combined Campuses & Colleges last weekend, made one change to their side, replacing Justin Athanaze with Defreitas.
T&T also made one change to their side that drew with Guyana last weekend, bringing in Daron Cruickshank for Atiba Allert.
