MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica, CMC – Opener Omar Phillips missed out on a century but was forced to share the spotlight with Trinidad and Tobago’s spinners as they restricted the Combined Campuses and Colleges to 191 for seven at the close of the opening day of the WICB Regional Four-Day first class tournament yesterday.
On a day that saw play start an hour late due to a moist wicket, off-spinner Amit Jaggernauth took three for 56 as T&T’s spinners accounted for five of the seven wickets that fell at Jarrett Park. Left-arm spinner Imran Khan supported with two for 47. A chance-filled 88 from the 23-year-old Phillips highlighted the CCC’s inning as he hit 10 fours while being dropped five times as he anchored his team’s innings.
The left-handed Phillips, who played two Tests for West Indies last year, occupied the wicket for 206 minutes while facing 193 balls, after CCC were sent in to bat.
Simon Jackson was first to go after offering an easy catch to left-arm spinner Dave Mohammed off opening bowler Richard Kelly when he was on four with the score on 11. Nekoli Parris then followed after the lunch break and was the first of wicketkeeper Denish Ramdin’s three victims off Khan, falling for just nine off 39 balls in 42 minutes.
Romel Currency then joined Phillips to add 94 for the third wicket as batting got easier as the pitch dried out. Philips was dropped repeatedly, the first by Lendl Simmons in the slips off fast bowler Richard Kelly when he was 14.He raised his half-century with a sweep shot that ran through the legs of Sherwin Ganga, as he reached his milestone in 133 minutes off 134 balls.
Phillips finally departed when he offered a simple catch close in to Justin Guillen just as he looked likely to go on to his century.
Trinidad made a big breakthrough on the stroke of tea when captain Floyd Reifer, who had replaced Phillips six minutes earlier, was caught by Ramdin for four off West Indies pacer Ravi Rampaul.
Jamaican wicketkeeper/ batsman Chadwick Walton, however, steadied the lower order as he made a steady, unbeaten 25 including one six.
Play will start a half hour early today second day.
