T&T, Leeward scramble to draw in thrilling final-day finish

An unbeaten half-century from Denesh Ramdin helped Trinidad and Tobago salvage a draw against Jamaica at Sabina Park after the visitors had been reduced to 123 for 6 on the back of a Reynard Leveridge three-for following Jamaica's first-innings lead of 292.

Ramdin stitched together an unbroken 40-run stand for the seventh wicket with Imran Khan (17*), playing out 26.3 overs to take T&T to 163 for 6 at the close of play on the final day, even as Odean Smith, Damion Jacobs and John Campbell abetted Leveridge's strikes with one wicket apiece.

That T&T found themselves staring at defeat on the fourth day was largely down to the twin centuries from John Campbell and the Jamaica captain Paul Palmer, whose 156 and 136 respectively, contributed to the hosts' mammoth first-innings tally of 535. The duo pinched a combined 23 fours and eight sixes, and were aided by fifties from Brandon King (63), Smith (54) and wicketkeeper Aldane Thomas, who fell one short of his maiden first-class half-century. Despite a four-for from Daniel St Clair and Khan's 3 for 180, the 157-run third-wicket stand between King and Campbell and three other fifty stands from the Jamaica batsmen ensured the home side had taken a lead more than double the total T&T had put on the board in their first dig.

Having elected to bat, T&T had could only amass 243, despite a 71-run opening stand between Amir Jangoo (39) and Jeremy Solozano (62). A four-wicket haul each from medium-pacer Derval Green and allrounder Campbell meant T&T could put only one more fifty stand - worth 73, for the third wicket - before being bowled out inside 82.5 overs on the opening day.

Jomel Warrican's 6 for 89 nearly snared a win for Barbados at St Kitts, but Devon Thomas' fourth first-class century and some plucky lower-order resistance from Gavin Tonge and Jeremiah Louis ensured Leeward Islands scrambled to a draw in the closing hours of the final day.

Barbados' decision to declare on 163 for 4 - having set Leeward a target of 312 - on the final day found validation as Warrican and Kenroy Williams removed the openers inside 11 overs with only 57 on the scoreboard. Subsequent strikes from Warrican and Hayden Walsh reduced their opponents to 133 for 4, before Thomas' 103 steered a 108-run fifth-wicket stand with Akeem Saunders (64), to put Leeward 71 runs away from victory. Saunders' dismissal, however, led to Leewards losing 4 for 47 in the space of 11.5 overs but Tonge and Louis played out 32 balls for their unbroken eight-run stand to stave off any possibilities of a defeat.

Earlier, despite having dealt the first blow through Rahkeem Cornwall in the 12th over of the match, Leeward struggled to follow up with regular strikes as Sheyne Moseley anchored a 133-run second-wicket stand with captain Shamarh Brooks (79) with his 303-ball 117. Moseley added another 52 with Jonathan Carter for the third wicket, to take his side to 221 for 2, before Barbados lost five wickets for 36. Justin Greaves' unbeaten 79 helped lift Barbados from 257 for 7 to 394 as Cornwall completed his 13th first-class five-for 116 runs.

Leeward's response was headlined by a solitary half-century from Montcin Hodge (82) as Hayden Walsh and Kevin Stoute cleaned up the opposition line-up with a six-for and a four-wicket haul respectively. Leeward could only manage 246, with Hodge barely finding any support from the other batsmen - none of whom could notch up a score beyond 31 - and ended up conceding a 148-run first-innings lead.