Lower orders ensure first-innings points

A plucky last-wicket stand of 45, between Bevon Brown and Andrew Richardson, steered defending champions and current table-toppers Jamaica to first-innings points against Barbados on a tense second day in Kingston. Precariously placed at 269 for 9, the pair scored the 24 runs needed to go past Barbados' 293 in the first innings and helped Jamaica end on 314, a lead of 21. Brown finished unbeaten on 30 from 55 balls with three boundaries while Richardson was the last man out for 12. Resuming on 31 for no loss, Brenton Parchment (47) and Danza Hyatt (34) helped Jamaica make good progress, with both putting on an opening partnership of 74. But it was Wavell Hinds' 75 which held the Jamaican innings together. He was involved in a crucial sixth-wicket stand of 92 with Keith Hibbert (25), lifting the team from a perilous 143 for 5 after lunch. Kevin Stoute was the most successful bowler for Barbados with 3 for 56, while Ryan Hinds and Dwayne Smith finished with two wickets apiece.

Captain Travis Dowlin top-scored with 61 as Guyana took a narrow lead against the Leeward Islands in Nevis. If Dowlin's half-century was vital, first-class debutant Christopher Barnwell, and the Crandon brothers, Royston and Esaun, played their parts with the bat as Guyana clawed to 229. From the overnight score of 20 without loss, and needing 206 more for first-innings points, Guyana had two early stutters before Narsingh Deonarine and Dowlin linked up to push the score past 100. However, a five-wicket blitz by Tonito Willett and the legspinner Anthony Martin put Leewards on course for first-innings honours, with Guyana reduced to 209 for 8 at tea from 116 for 3 at lunch. But Esuan was to be the late-innings hero, stroking a 29-ball 33 to help Guyana reach safety. Leewards lost a wicket just before the close to finish on 63 for 1.

Fifties from Andre Fletcher and Johnson Charles, along with key contributions down the order helped Windward Islands to first-innings points against Combined Campuses & Colleges (CCC) in Barbados. Fletcher, whose place in the side was under cloud at the start of the season because of disciplinary action by the Windwards' selectors, entertained the crowd with an explosive 69 after Charles had provided the early fireworks. Charles later settled down to score 54, as Windwards, replying to the CCC's first innings total of 227, were dismissed for 323. A collapse in the middle though, saw them slip from 203 for 2 to 258 for 7 before a late flurry from Shane Shillingford and Mervyn Matthew for the eighth wicket yielded 69 runs, pushing Windwards to a lead of 96. Offspinner Ryan Austin was the pick of the CCC bowlers with 5 for 108, while Jamel Noel and Khismar Catlin bagged two each. Batting a second time, CCC reached 5 for no loss with captain Simon Jackson and Omar Phillips at the crease.