BASSETERRE, St. Kitts-NEVISIAN batsman Runako Morton returned another valiant effort yesterday (Jan. 18) as he smashed 108 for the Leeward Islands, but it was not enough to prevent an eventual victory for Jamaica in the second round of the West Indies Cricket Board’s Regional 4-Day competition.
The Leeward Islands began the day at 62/2 with Morton and Captain Steve Liburd already on a strong partnership from the previous day.
Morton continued to cut and confound Jamaica’s top bowlers Nikita Miller and Odean Brown. Morton and Liburd successfully lead Leewards to a total of 107/3 before Liburd was dismissed lbw on a googly from Brown.
The loss of Liburd was merely the beginning of an outstanding six-wicket spell from Brown, who also picked up Tonito Willet, Omari Banks, Devon Thomas, Gavin Tonge and Justin Athanaze.
Morton fell during that same spell of bowling after being caught by wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh on an edged ball, thus ending his day at 108 with 13 fours and one six.
Athanaze gave a brief resistance after Morton was lost, adding 28 runs from 36 balls with a whopping 4 sixes, but Brown did not let the fight stand for long.
The Leeward Islands ended their second innings at 216/all out from 75.1 overs, leaving Jamaica in need of only 26 runs for victory.
Tonge and Lionel Baker gave a brief scare to Jamaica as they dismissed openers Shawn Findlay and Xavier Marshall for three runs, and then sent Tamar Lambert packing scoreless to put the visitors at 8/3 in the early going.
Donovan Pagon and Brendan Nash stabilized the squad, however, and batted in the necessary runs to give Jamaica the relaxed seven-wicket victory.
Barbados had a similarly pleasing day after spin bowler Kemar Roach picked up 7 for 23 in 13.5 overs to give his side an eight-wicket victory over the Combined Campuses & Colleges squad after the third day of play had been rained out in Nevis.
In Antigua, Guyana’s Narsingh Deonarine added a gutsy 104 on the final day to keep his team alive for a draw as they chased the intimidating total of 343 set by Trinidad & Tobago.
Rounds three and four of the 4-Day competition will be held in Barbados from January 22 to February 1.
