Blown away! Ja thrash Leewards by innings, stay on course

BY SANJAY MYERS Observer staff reporter myerss@jamaicaobserver.com

Sunday, February 19, 2012

JAMAICA, led by asphyxiating bowling from spinners Nikita Miller and Odean Brown, frazzled the Leeward Islands by an innings and 201 runs yesterday at Sabina Park to record the title holders' third straight victory in this season's regional four-day cricket tournament.

On Friday, Jamaica declared on 404-8 and dismissed the visitors for 104 to secure a massive 300-run lead.

Yesterday, Jamaica captain Tamar Lambert took the straight-forward decision of enforcing the follow-on and the inept Leewards batting was effortlessly blown away for 99, approximately one hour into the post-lunch session.

Left-arm orthodox slow bowler Nikita Miller snatched 5-16 off 14 overs and four balls to finish with seven wickets in the match.

Wrist-spinner Odean Brown, who bedazzled the Leeward Islands with an astounding 5-6 in their first innings, provided further torture with 4-32 off 17 overs. Brown, 30, ended with matches figures of 9-38.

Donovan Pagon, who scored a monumental 155 in Jamaica's big first innings total was chosen as the man-of-the-match.

Scores: Jamaica 404-8 (152 overs); Leeward Islands 104 (38.1 overs) and 99 (45.4 overs)

The Leewards almost lost opener Javier Liburd in the third over of the day, but gully fielder Pagon could only get his fingertips to a ball that flew high off the edge of the bat from pacer Andrew Richardson.

Having been dismissed for nought in the first innings, Liburd desperately ran a single to get off the mark and avoided the dreaded 'King Pair'.

The tentative Javier Liburd (1) did not last much longer, however, as in the very next over he edged left-arm seamer Sheldon Cotterell into the safe clutches of Simon Jackson at slip with the total at 17-1.

Left-handed opener Kieran Powell and the compact-looking Montcin Hodge added 39 runs for the second wicket before the latter was trapped leg before wicket to Miller for 15.

It was soon 57-3 when captain Gavin Williams (0) was given out lbw to Brown.

Like the entire Leewards batting unit, it was a wretched and disheartening match for the skipper after also making a duck in the first innings.

The Leeward Islands team, palpably short on confidence after losing dismally in their previous two matches, was in further trouble when wicketkeeper/batsman Devon Thomas (6) played loosely and was bowled by a full-pitched Brown delivery.

Moments before the scheduled lunch break Miller dismissed all-rounder Tonito Willett (0) as Jamaica closed in on yet another victory inside three days, after previously inflicting similar defeats on the Windward Islands and Barbados, respectively.

After the interval, Hamilton (1) played a wild swipe off Brown and was caught at mid-wicket by Richardson as Leewards staggered to 73-6.

Powell, the 21-year-old West Indies batsman was a picture of poise and concentration as he weathered a vibrant Jamaican bowling attack on a Sabina pitch that held no real terrors.

He reached 50 with a confident straight drive for four off Brown and stood head and shoulders above his more senior teammates.

Justin Athanaze (6) was sent back to the pavilion by Nikita Miller and Jason Campbell (0) was dismissed by Brown, before Powell (55) became the ninth victim of the innings.

He gave his hand away cheaply when he lofted a full ball from Miller straight to Richardson at long-on. Powell struck seven well-timed boundaries off 124 balls.

Tailender Nelson Bolan went for six when he was stumped by Baugh to seal Miller's third five wicket haul this season.

The Jamaica team departs the island tomorrow for Antigua where they play their next game against Guyana.

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Blown away! Ja thrash Leewards by innings, stay on course