14th straight win
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) — Spinners Nikita Miller and Odean Brown wrecked Guyana to propel five-time repeat champions Jamaica to their fifth straight win in the Regional Four-Day Championship here yesterday.
Playing on the third day of the last round contest at the National Stadium, Jamaica pulled off a 215-run victory late in the evening, thanks to four-wicket hauls from the spin twin to extend their regional record-winning streak to 14 consecutive games.
Left-arm spinner Miller picked up four for 49 and Brown, a leg-spinner, claimed four for 54, as Guyana were bundled out for 155 after being set 370 for victory.
Left-hander Leon Johnson held the innings together with a splendid 70, while Test player Narsingh Deonarine got 27.
Earlier, Carlton Baugh Jr agonisingly missed out on a century when he fell for 99 as Jamaica pushed on from their overnight score of 183 for five, before declaring at 257 for eight.
Baugh, starting the day on 59, faced 143 balls overall and struck nine fours and a six. He seemed destined to reach his 13th first-class hundred when he was run out by Deonarine’s direct hit from mid off, attempting a quick single.
Baugh got great support from Jermaine Blackwood, who stroked 57, as the two combined in a 138-run sixth-wicket stand.
Blackwood reached his half-century of 133 balls with three fours in 140 minutes at the crease, before falling to off-spinner Steven Jacobs, who finished with four for 61.
Left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul picked up three for 64.
Guyana then lost Assad Fudadin (3) on the stroke of lunch to be six for one at the interval, and Chandrapaul Hemraj got a thin edge behind off seamer David Bernard Jr to leave Guyana on 27 for two shortly after resumption.
Guyana benefitted from two key partnerships. Johnson and Deonarine put on 43 for the third wicket before Johnson and Anthony Bramble (18) combined in a 43-run fourth wicket stand, to hold up the Jamaicans.
Deonarine got a leading edge back to Browne for 27 off 77 balls with three fours, while Bramble was caught by Danza Hyatt at slip off Miller at 113 for four.