BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, (CMC) – Jamaica defied a half-century from Shane Dowrich to grab an early advantage over Barbados in their Headley/Weekes Trophy semi-final yesterday.Left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell grabbed three for 28 from 8.3 overs, leg-spinner Damion Jacobs bagged three for 58 from 21 overs and Dave Bernard Jr took two for 32 from nine overs, as the Barbadians were dismissed for 245 in their first innings about an hour after tea on the opening day at Kensington Oval.
Dowrich hit the top score of an unbeaten 69, Ashley Nurse supported with 45, Omar Phillips made 33 and Shai Hope got 28, but the home team failed to make proper use of ideal conditions at Kensington Oval after they chose to bat.
At the close, John Campbell was not out on 25 and Damion Jacobs was yet to score, as the Jamaicans reached 52 for one.
The visitors lost opener Nkrumah Bonner lbw to off-spinner Ashley Nurse for 26, sweeping across the line to a well-pitched delivery, after putting on 51 for the first wicket with the left-handed Campbell.
Earlier, Barbados started steadily, but they were setback when their captain Kraigg Brathwaite was lbw to Bernard for 15.
A second-wicket stand of 53 between Phillips and Hope repaired the damage until the left-handed Phillips was caught at backward square leg off Jacobs from a sweep inside the last half-hour before lunch which arrived with Barbados 85 for two.
After the interval, Barbados lost their way through a combination of carelessness from their batsmen and thoughtful cricket from Jamaica.
Hope was run out in the fourth over after the interval going for a quick single, Jonathan Carter was caught at forward short leg off Jacobs essaying a slog sweep thanks to an amazing catch from close fielder Bonner, Kevin Stoute was lbw to Jacobs for 11 and Carlos Brathwaite was run out going for a quick single, as the Barbadians slumped to 134 for six.
Nurse joined Dowrich and they carried Barbados to 186 for six at tea and brought some respectability to their side’s batting after the break, when they completed a half-century stand.
Dowrich reached his 50 from 90 balls when he clipped a delivery from fast bowler Jerome Taylor through backward square leg for a single and Nurse had visions of reaching the same landmark before he was bowled by Cottrell, when a ball heading down the leg-side ricocheted from his pads onto the stumps.
There was little or no resistance from the rest of the Barbados batting, as they lost their last four wickets for 10 runs in the space of 15 minutes, earning just one batting point and conceding three to the Jamaicans.
Under tournament rules, the side that either wins or accumulates the most points in the semi-final will qualify for the Final of the Tournament which has now been re-scheduled to start next Saturday, April 26.
Barbados made one change to their line-up from the previous match, when they brought fast-medium bowler Miguel Cummins in to replace West Indies batsman Kirk Edwards, who has been sidelined with a groin strain.
Jamaica similarly made one change, swapping veteran all-rounder Bernard for West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels, who has a hamstring injury
