da realbet： The Busta Cup cricket match between Jamaica and Barbados enters itsfourth and final day at Sabina Park today and after three days offiring away at each other in a contest billed as a showdown, the hometeam is in sight of victory
Tony Becca24-Jan-2000The Busta Cup cricket match between Jamaica and Barbados enters itsfourth and final day at Sabina Park today and after three days offiring away at each other in a contest billed as a showdown, the hometeam is in sight of victory.At the end of yesterday’s action, Barbados, set a victory target of357 in a minimum 113 overs, were on the run at 48 for four after 23overs, and with the defending champions trailing by 308 runs with onlysix wickets in hand, with at least 90 overs to go, and with fastbowler Courtney Walsh and offspinner Nehemiah Perry on the warpath,Jamaica appear on the doorstep of a resounding victory.Score at the close of the third day’s play: Jamaica 195 and 318,Barbados 157 and 48 for four with Adrian Griffith on 11 and RolandHolder on zero.With first innings points already in the bag, Jamaica, without fastbowler Franklyn Rose who is nursing an injured toe, made an impressivebid for victory when, Barbados, boasting five Test batsmen at the topof the order, set out on what from the beginning appeared a difficulttask.Bowling from the south, Walsh hit Barbados a stinging blow when hebowled Philo Wallace for one at 12 for one; Perry made it 37 for twowhen Sherwin Campbell, on 22, went back, cut, and Christopher Gayletook the catch after the ball had bounced off wicketkeeper MathewSinclair’s gloves; Perry made it 47 for three when the left-handedFloyd Reifer, 7, attempted a square-drive and hit the ball to JamesAdams and cover; and coming from the north, Walsh made it 48 for fourwhen he bowled night watchman Dave Marshall for one.With Griffith and Holder at the crease, with Courtney Brown and RyanHurley to come, Barbados possess enough ammunition to make a fight ofit – if not to win at least to draw.Ninety overs is a long time in which to dodge, however, and with Walsh- two for 21 off seven overs, and Perry – two for nine off six, plusmedium-pacer Laurie Williams and offspinner Gayle to support them,chances are the Bajans will not survive.Rose, who took six wickets, including the hat-trick, in Barbados’first innings, batted at number 11 with a runner yesterday. He did nottake the field in Barbados’ second innings, however, and even if bysome miracle he turns up fit and ready this morning, he will not beable to bowl until after 100 minutes – the time Barbados battedyesterday.Resuming their second innings on 148 for five and 185 in front,Jamaica stretched their lead to 356 – thanks to Robert Samuels, whohit one six and seven fours while scoring 55 in 191 minutes off 156deliveries, Sinclair, who stroked three boundaries while scoring 40 in235 minutes off 172 deliveries, and to Walsh and Rose who knocked up29 runs for the last wicket.After coming together on the previous day following the fallof RicardoPowell and Wavel Hinds in fading light, Samuels and Sinclair, both onzero overnight, denied Barbados, short of injured left-arm pacer PedroCollins, an early breakthrough, frustrated them, and went on to post avaluable sixth-wicket partnership of 102 in 191 Samuels, after failingto score in the first innings and probably playing for a place in theteam against Trinidad and Tobago in Jamaica’s next match, batted welland played some lovely strokes before, at 250, he cut at right-armlegspinner Marshall and edged a catch to Campbell at slip.Samuels’ boundary strokes included a lovely hit over midwicket for sixoff Marshall, and what is best described as a shot of class, the onewhich brought up his half-century, a magnificent straight-drive offpacer Henderson Bryan.The toast of the day, however, was Sinclair – the night watchman whorose to the occasion in style and was eighth out at 272 when when hedrove Marshall to Reifer at midwicket.Batting sensibly and confidently, against the pace of Bryan and DayneMaynard who finished with two for 59 and four for 68 respectively, andagainst Marshall, four for 96, and the offspin of Hurley, Sinclairalso played some delightful strokes – including a spanking cover-driveoff slow bowler Campbell and a delicate late cut off Marshall.