Windward spinners dominate CCC

Romel Currency was solid at the top of the order for Combined Colleges & Campuses but the rest of the batsmen struggled against the spin combination of Gary Mathurin and Liam Sebastien to hand Windward Islands the advantage on the first day of their four-day Regional semi-final at the Three Ws Oval . Currency looked set for his second first-class hundred, having batted for almost six hours to make 95, but fell late in the day, caught at slip attempting to cut Mathurin to conclude a stretch a play where three wickets fell for seven runs.

Several other batsmen got starts - Shacoya Thomas made 32, Kyle Corbin 30 and Floyd Reifer 23 - but none of them were able to stick with Currency and build a big partnership. Offspinner Sebastien finished with 4 for 49, while left-arm spinner Mathurin picked up 3 for 76, to leave CCC struggling at 253 for 9.

West Indies vice-captain Brendan Nash and the in-form Marlon Samuels helped defending champions Jamaica reach 251 for 3 on the opening day of their semi-final against Trinidad & Tobago at Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground . Jamaica got off to a rocky start, with West Indies fast bowler Ravi Rampaul getting Simon Jackson to edge to slip with only three runs on the board. Danza Hyatt and Samuels added 54 together, before Hyatt fell lbw to offspinner Amit Jaggernauth for 41. The pair of Nash and Samuels then patched together a partnership of 141, with Nash quick to pounce on anything loose, an attitude emphasised by his upper cut for six over third man off Shannon Gabriel.

Samuels looked set for his fourth century of the tournament - he heads the list of run scorers - before an ill advised drive had him edging to the keeper off Rayad Emrit. His 80 came off 210 balls and included 12 fours and a six. Nash was unbeaten on 96 at the end of the day, having faced 177 balls, with Tamar Lambert on 25. The pair will look to keep the pressure on T&T tomorrow.