Pagon, Lambert earn Jamaica first-innings points

Half-centuries to Donovan Pagon and Tamar Lambert helped Jamaica take first-innings points over the Windward Islands on day two in Dominica. In reply to the Windwards' 261, Jamaica finished on 264 for 3 with Pagon (81) and Lambert (75 not out) the chief contributors. Pagon, who played two Tests against South Africa in 2005, hit 11 fours in his 163-ball innings and together with Lambert ensured Jamaica kept the Windwards in the field all day. Jamaica resumed on 15 for 0 and lost Xavier Marshall for 27 with the score 44, after which Brenton Parchment added 81 with Pagon. Pagon was the third man to fall but Wavell Hinds and Lambert added 38 before the close.

Lendl Simmons was released from the West Indies' squad for the second Test and immediately did his claims for a maiden Test cap no harms with a century at the Providence Stadium. Simmons, who has represented West Indies in eight ODIs, demonstrated his aptitude in the longer version of the game with 282 for the A team against England in last month's tour game and, pitted against Guyana, scored his sixth first-class century. Put in to bat, Trinidad and Tobago finished the opening day on 279 for 3 with Simmons batting on 148 at stumps in an unbroken stand with Keiron Pollard (33). Guyana, who have not won in five attempts, got the early wicket of Justin Guillen, chasing one from Trevon Garraway to third slip, after which rain held up play for 15 minutes. Simmons and his captain Daren Ganga (50) put on 169, Ganga batting facing 115 balls and hitting four fours and a six. Simmons was dropped on 92 by Leon Johnson at point off Garraway and reached three figures with a single to cover off the same bowler. Pollard and Simmons were building a threatening 60-run partnership when bad light stopped play.

The Combined Campuses & College's spin duo of Ryan Austin and Kavesh Kantasingh tied down the Leeward Islands on the first day's play in Barbados. After electing to bat, the Leewards finished on 249 for 9, with Austin and Kantasingh sharing eight wickets. The opener Montcin Hodge top-scored with 65 for Leewards, while Omari Banks (45), Tonito Willett (45) and Kieran Powell (36) got starts. Kantasingh started the slide when he bowled Kieran Powell for 36, snapping a 69-run opening stand. From 72 for 1 at lunch, Leewards lost Runako Morton for 2, caught behind off Kantasingh. Austin joined in by disloging a 50-run fifth-wicket association between Tonito Willett and Omari Banks and the rest of the wickets fell at regular intervals.