Jamaica top order sets up victory

Marlon Samuels failed to fire on his return to the Jamaica team but the rest of the top-order batsmen contributed significantly to a match-winning total against USA at Lauderhill in the first of three matches. Jamaica made 307 in their 50 overs after which their bowlers skittled the hosts for 175, securing a comfortable 132-run victory.

The game was a comeback for Samuels, who was slapped with a two-year ban for breaking International Cricket Council rules relating to "receiving money, benefit or other reward which could bring him or the game of cricket into disrepute."

Jamaica's openers, Danza Hyatt and Donovan Pagon, added 122 for the first wicket after Tamar Lambert won the toss. Hyatt made 73 off 84 balls, and was the first wicket to fall in the 23rd over, while Pagon went on to reach 97. He added 40 runs for the second wicket with Samuels, who was dismissed for 11, and found support in his captain Lambert.

Lambert went on to make a half-century at nearly a run a ball to steer Jamaica past 300. USA used as many as eight bowlers, among whom offspinner Asad Ghous has the best figues - 2 for 42, including the wickets of Hyatt and Lambert.

USA's chase got off to a disastrous start with opener Carl Wright getting run out off the first ball. His partner, Jamaica-born Orlando Baker, top-scored with 56 but left-arm medium-pacer Krishmar Santokie struck twice in the eighth over to reduce the hosts to 25 for 3. From there a steady fall of wickets crippled the chase and USA were all out for 175 in the 49th over.