Lambert’s career-best 8-42 keeps Jamaica ahead in c/ship race

PROVIDENCE, Guyana, CMC – A career-best spell of bowling from Tamar Lambert propelled tournament leaders Jamaica to a tense 29-run victory over Combined Campuses & Colleges in the WICB regional first-class championship yesterday.

The Jamaica captain grabbed a career-best eight wickets for 42 runs from 31.1 overs with his part-time off-spin, as CCC, chasing 206 for victory, were bowled out for 176 about 10 minutes before lunch on the fourth and final day of their fifth round match at the Guyana National Stadium.

The rotund 28-year-old, whose previous 51 first-class matches brought him only 25 wickets, finished with a match haul of 10 for 63, and had the privilege of snaring the last wicket, when he had Khismar Catlin kissed an edge to first slip and was caught for a duck.

Leg-spinner Odean Brown, an eight-wicket bowling hero in the first-innings, supported with two for 79 from 36 overs for match figures of 10 for 133.

Only Kyle Corbin, with a fluent 38, made any impression for the CCC on the final day.

Jamaica’s win was their fourth in four matches this season and leaves them top of the table with a maximum 48 points.

The competition leaders next meet second-placed Barbados in round six, starting on Friday at the Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in Trinidad.

Lambert landed an early blow to CCC’s chances, when he scalped opposing skipper Floyd Reifer with just three runs added to the opponents’ overnight 115 for four.

The 37-year-old left-hander lofted hard and flat down the ground, but David Bernard, at long-on, pulled off a magnificent catch running five yards to his right before tumbling low to hang on to the powerfully-struck ball.

CCC rallied well despite the loss of their captain as Corbin and fellow Barbadian Kevin McClean blunted the spin duo in a determined stand of 47 for the sixth wicket.

But just as the balance was tilting CCC’s way, Lambert swung the momentum back by dismissing both batsmen in quick succession.

Left-hander McClean, half-cocked on the front foot, was lbw for nine, while Corbin, after stroking five fours off 89 deliveries, edged a cut and was snapped up by wicket-keeper Carlton Baugh Jr at 168 for seven.

Those dismissals triggered a terminal slide with the last five wickets tumbling for 11 runs as the tail surrendered meekly.

Gavin Wallace made two before he was beaten in flight and chipped back a low return catch to Odean Brown.

Lambert fittingly finished things, as Kavesh Kantasingh was lbw playing an ill-advised paddle/sweep, and then added Catlin.

Lambert’s previous best figures were four for 44 against Barbados at Chedwin Park three years ago.