Hamilton powers Windies 'A' to commanding position

Stand-down wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton stroked a majestic century to put West Indies A in pole position heading into today’s third day of their second and penultimate unofficial Test against England Lions at Sabina Park.
Hamilton, who is playing in the game as a specialist batsman due to the availability of Test wicketkeeper Shane Dowich and an injury to Test batsman Vishual Singh, scored 100, as the regional men, replying to a below-par 145 made by England Lions, in their first innings, posted an impressive 422.
England, batting a second time, and after surviving 18 testing overs, closed the day on 34 without loss, 243 runs behind, with Test openers Haseeb Hameed and Keaton Jennings, not out on 18 and 11, respectively. 
Hamilton, who kept wicket for West Indies A during the Sri Lanka A tour of the Caribbean late last year, in scoring hundred, showed poise and brilliance in stroke play on his way to his sixth first-class hundred.
His knock, which included drives, cuts and pulls, included 17 fours.
Resuming the day on 17 after seeing out most of the final hour on day, Hamilton and his overnight partner Dowich, who resumed on 20, went about extending the West Indies total of 159 for four. And that they did. 
They put on another 41 runs before Dowich approaching his 19th first-class fifty to along with his five centuries, was caught for 43 off the bowling of in-form left-arm spinner, Jack Leach.
Hamilton, who at times plays a specialist batsman for the Leeward Islands Hurricanes in regional cricket, then found a capable ally in West Indies Test bowling all-rounder Raymon Reifer, and together the pair put on 10 for the sixth wicket.
The 26-year-old Reifer, who made his Test debut against New Zealand late last year, hit a shot-filled 95 before he was last man out going for his hundred.
He slammed two sixes and eight fours, and with his knock brought up his 11th first-class fifty in 57 first-class appearances. He has one century.
Also getting among the runs was off-spinner Rahkeem Cornwall, who entertained with four fours and a six on his way to making 25 off 17 balls.
Leach, in continuing his five wicket haul exploits from the first match of the series in Trelawny, claimed six for 138, while off-spinner Liam Livingstone supported with two for 83. 
"It was a good innings, one of my better innings, and I enjoyed the challenge,’’ said Hamilton.
"We did well from the first innings in the field, and it was a matter for our batsmen to keep the pressure on them, and having got a start, I decided that I want to best use of it.’’

SCOREBOARD 

ENGLAND LIONS 1st Innings 145

WEST INDIES A 1st Innings

(overnight 159 for four)

J Campbell c Hameed b Leach 47

K Powell c and b Livingstone 59

J Blackwood c Jennings b Leach 6

S Brooks b Livingstone 1

J Hamilton c Clarke b Roland-Jones 100

+S Dowrich c Gubbins b Leach 43

R Reifer b Leach 95

R Cornwall b Leach 25

J Warrican st Davies b Leach 7

J Louis c Jennings b Coughlin 14

K Peters not out 5

Extras (b4, lb10, w3, nb3) 20

TOTAL (all out, 110.4 overs) 422

Fall of wickets: 1-72, 2-78, 3-87, 4-128, 5-200, 6-302, 7-351, 8-371, 9-410

Bowling: Porter 11-2-51-0; Roland-Jones 10-1-42-1; Livingstone 23-4-83-2; Leach 41.4-6-138-6; Crane 14-1-59-0 (nb3, w2); Coughlin 11-1-35-1 (w1)

ENGLAND LIONS 2nd Innings

*K Jennings not out 11

H Hameed not out 18

Extras (lb1, nb4) 5

TOTAL (without loss, 18 overs) 34

Bowling: Reifer 2-1-3-0 (nb1); Louis 2-0-5-0 (nb1); Joseph 2-1-1-0 (nb1); Cornwall 7-2-11-0 (nb1); Warrican 5-3-13-0

Position: England Lions trail by 243 with all second innings wickets standing

Umpires: V Smith, C Wright

Match referee: C Felix

Reserve umpire: R Samuels