Western Bureau:Despite missing out on a century, Jamaica's captain Tamar Lambert held the team's first innings together yesterday with a good knock of 93, as the home team posted 223 for nine against the Windward Islands on the first day of their top-of-table WICB regional four-day clash at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Carlton Baugh Jr, who has been having a decent season - with two centuries in recent games - was again in spanking form, batting beautifully for an undefeated 53 at the end of the day.

attacking shots

"The plan was to bat all day and although we lost three or four more wickets than we would have wanted, 223 for nine is not a bad score since the runs are already on the board," said skipper Lambert, who combined sound defence with a few attacking shots in his 168-ball knock, which included 10 fours.

He added: "Come tomorrow, we will be pushing on to see how much more we can get."

Winning the toss and electing to bat, the Jamaica team, which need only first innings points from this game to retain the regional title, got off to a sluggish start as openers Danza Hyatt and Donovan Pagon both fell cheaply and were back in the pavilion with a mere 11 runs on the board.

Hyatt was the first to go, trapped leg before wicket by pacer Nelon Pascal for three with the score on seven. Nine runs later, Pagon joined him in the pavilion, bowled by a beautiful delivery from Pascal for 11.

The early slide was halted when skipper Lambert and West Indies batsman Brendan Nash came together and took the score to 65 for two at lunch.

On the resumption, Jamaica added another four runs before losing Nash perished via the run out route for 18 as he attempted a sharp single, with the score on 69 runs. The third wicket partnership himself and Lambert yielded 55 runs.

The departure of Nash brought Wavell Hinds to crease and with Lambert going well, they added 36 before Hinds miscued a drive off Deighton Butler and was caught for 18 shortly before the tea break, at 133 for four.

At the time Lambert, who survived missed chances in his 40s and 70s, was on 82 and looking well set.

After the tea break, Jamaica's batting went into rapid decline as David Bernard Jr fell cheaply for nine, leg before wicket to Kenroy Peters, then Lambert's innings ended when he, too, was trapped leg before by Peters for 93, with the score at 157 for six.

With Baugh looking quite composed as his innings grew, he found himself lacking quality support as Bevon Brown fell for three, Odean Brown perished without scoring and Gavin Wallace contributed two before he was run out.

At the end of the day's play Baugh and Andrew Richardson, who was not out on seven, were the batsmen at the crease.

Peters emerged the top bowler with four wickets for 58 runs off 26 overs, while Pascal took two for 57 and Deighton Butler got one for 52 off 24 overs.

Chattergoon scores half-century

AT PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad: Guyana, winning the toss and batting, reached 129 for three at the close on the opening day of their 12th round WICB regional four-day match against Trinidad & Tobago at Queen's Park Oval yesterday.

Scores: Guyana 129 for three (Sewnarine Chattergoon 52 not out, Christopher Barnwell 30; Atiba Allert 1-28).

CCC's Phillips hits big century

AT CHARLESTOWN, Nevis: Combined Campuses & Colleges, choosing to bat against the Leeward Islands, reached 283 for three at the close of the opening day of their 12th round WICB regional four-day match at Grove Park yesterday.

Scores: CCC 283-3 (Omar Phillips 163 not out, Kyle Corbin 67; Gavin Tonge 1-48, Wilden Cornwall 1-41).