Exciting win for Jamaica over Leeward Islands

Jamaica made further progress in the regional four day cricket tournament on Monday evening with a three wicket victory over the Leeward Islands at Warner Park in St. Kitts-Nevis.

Scores in the match: Leeward Islands 322 and 246; Jamaica 351 and 218/7.

John Campbell, a 20 year old playing in his first season of first class cricket for Jamaica, was declared man-of-the-match for his outstanding batting and bowling, top scoring with 110 in the first innings and 41 in the second innings, while also taking four wickets in the Leewards' second innings.

The Jamaicans, having defeated Guyana in their first match of the tournament at home, are looking to return to dominance in a tournament they had won for four consecutive seasons, before falling short last year.

This outcome in the second match against the Leewards was certainly in some doubt at the start of play on the final day, with the hosts being only three wickets down and by the time they were dismissed it was clear that the Jamaican batsmen would have to approach the target of 218 as they would in a limited overs match.

With two overs to go in the match, the result was still not certain - 15 runs needed off 12 balls. Then the batsmen, Carlton Baugh Jr and Jamie Merchant, set about allaying any fears their backers might have had in the penultimate over: 4-0-1-6-4 - victory!