Jermaine Lannaman, Star Writer

Former West Indies vice-captain Brendan Nash says he is happy to be back playing competitive cricket after not doing so for over several months.

He has been missing in action since he was dropped by West Indies selectors following the first Test of India's tour to the West Indies last year, and was excluded from subsequent squads to the tour of Bangladesh and India.

He also used the exclusion to take a break from the game by asking Jamaica's selectors not to consider him for the Regional Super50 Tournament, or the just-concluded Caribbean Twenty20 Tournament, so that he could spend some time with his family.

"It feels good to be back," he said, shortly after making a top score of 49 not out for Jamaica in their first innings of their Regional Four-day Tournament clash, with the Windwards at Sabina Park.

"As you all know, a lot was happening prior to my departure, and it was an opportunity to refocus, and get my game back up to a level where I can make more significant contributions to Jamaica and the West Indies' cause."

The 34-year-old Nash was like a knight in shining armour in Jamaica's total of 180.

He first shared a 50-run second wicket partnership with captain Tamar Lambert, who made a second top score of 26, and a quick-fire 15-run alliance with last man out fast bowler Andrew Richardson (13) that brought some amount of respectability to the total.

Left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin, who played a solitary Twenty20 International for the West Indies last year, showed why he is being considered as one for the future after ending with figures of 5-34.

The Windwards, in their reply, closed on 49-3 thanks to a bright spell of fast bowling from David Bernard Jr, who in the space of two openers started a mini-collapse after the visitors were at one stage strolling at 31 without loss.

Bernard Jr finished with figures of 2-9.

"It was a good batting track, but as you saw we did not apply ourselves properly," said Nash.

"A total of 230 or so, at a minimum, would have been a better effort.

"But having said that, we have made a start to our bowling, and come tomorrow we plan to get as many wickets as possible, and if not try to limit their ability to score."

Nash has so far represented the West Indies in 21 Tests at an average of 33.42, including two centuries and eight half-centuries, and nine one-day Internationals at an average of 26.