Lambert wanted better start to final but backs team to push on

Jermaine Lannaman, Star Writer

Donovan Pagon yesterday showed glimpses of his potential in making 71 in Jamaica's first innings total of 266 for eight against Barbados in the final of the West Indies Cricket Board Four-Day Tournament at Sabina Park.

Pagon, who would have no doubt impressed West Indies selector Courtney Browne and Robert Haynes, who were both on hand to witness the final, hit seven fours and two straight sixes during his knock, which was applauded by the biggest crowd to attend the first day of a match this season.

"I would not say it is an ideal total as at we would have loved for the score to be at 266 for the loss of about four or five wickets, especially after being at 150-odd for one at one stage," said Jamaica's captain Tamar Lambert.

"But such is the nature of the game. The game is still in the balance and it is for our remaining batsmen to come out and try to push the total past 300," he added.

Winning the toss and electing to bat on a flat batting track, Jamaica were propelled to their total by Pagon, and a welcome back to form 58 from Brenton Parchment, and an unbeaten 29 from Nikita Miller.

Opening with Parchment and Xavier Marshall, Jamaica got off to a good start with the duo taking the score to 46 before Marshall, flashing at a delivery just outside his off stump, was caught behind by the impressive Shane Dowrich off the bowling of Brathwaite for a rusty-looking 19.

third-highest

This brought to the crease the team's leading and the tournament's third-highest runs scorer heading into the match, Pagon.

Together with Parchment the pair put 108 for the second wicket before Parchment was caught at long on off the bowling of Sulieman Benn with the score on 154.

The out-of-form Danza Hyatt then made his way to the crease, however, with him settling in Pagon, not for the first time this season went for a lazy on-drive off the persistent and talkative Benn and was caught off the leading edge at short cover.

Using his experience and extracting fairly good bounce and turn on what is fast becoming a spinner's wicket Benn then went about claiming the wickets of Lambert (15) and wicketkeeper Horace Miller (15), while Brathwaite, who got the ball to jump from good lengths, got rid of Hyatt (15) and Bernard Jr (four).

Miller, who has been batting with defiance, and fast bowler Sheldon Cotterell will resume batting when play resumes at 10 a.m. this morning.

Barbados were led by spinner Sulieman Benn, who claimed five for 90 off 29 unchanged overs, and all-rounder Carlos Brathwaite, who took two for 38.