A thrilling day's cricket at Sabina Park left England A in a strong position against Jamaica with more valuable first innings points in the bag and everything to play for.

The climax came in the session before tea when England A, needing 175 to claim more Busta Cup points, suffered a middle order collapse. From 140 for four, they lost four quick wickets but with the very last ball before the interval, Chris Silverwood produced a perfectly executed square drive which sent the ball rattling to the boundary and brought the scores level.

Two wickets remained but there was still a hint of uncertainty after Jamaica's bowlers, most notably Gareth Breese and Courtney Walsh, swept away any confidence in an increasingly frail batting order to take the upper hand.

Every wicket that fell was met by a frenzied reaction from the 700 strong crowd, giving the atmosphere a one-day feel to it as a battle for points was waged ruthlessly in the middle.

John Crawley Photo John Dawson

When Usman Afzaal, the Nottinghamshire left-hander who brought a sensible head to a difficult situation after the early loss of key batsman John Crawley, lost his footing and was stumped after making an attractive 39, the pressure was on England A's lower order to see them over the final hurdle.

With the experience of Mark Alleyne at one end, the job of Chris Read and Graeme Swann was to get their heads down and let their skipper ease them through.

But neither batsman rose to the challenge, the out-of-form Read spooning a ball from Breese carelessly to mid off and Swann, who was making his debut in the Busta Cup, looking raw after a four month break from first-class cricket following the end of the English season.

Walsh was brought back on to unsettle the steady Alleyne and the ploy worked wonders as the England A skipper attempted to hook him but failed to get behind the shot and instead skied a catch to Franklyn Rose at fine leg.

It was at that point with the score on 161 for eight and 14 runs still needed, that the nerves started to jangle and until tea, each single was met with almost inaudible applause from a small band of England supporters sitting in the George Headley stand.

Silverwood and Jon Lewis stayed calm and by the time the Yorkshireman fell, they had passed the magic figure, Lewis pushing a single to claim six crucial points.

The innings was wrapped up for 188 in 85.2 overs but the confidence England A took from gaining the lead was immediately transferred into their bowling effort and after a predictable spurt from Jamaica's opening pair of Leon Garrick and Chris Gayle which saw 61 runs added in 16 overs, the first strike was made.

Ryan Sidebottom, who bowled well in the first innings for his 5-31, found the edge of Garrick's bat and Vikram Solanki took his 18th catch of the tour just centimetres from the ground.

The triumph gave the attack extra impetus and in the next over, an lbw appeal against Keith Hibbert produced the right result for Swann before the batsman had got off the mark.

At stumps, Jamaica were 70 for two, leading England A by 56 runs but Gayle was still there on 39. On a pitch which has proved the fastest England A have seen so far in the Busta Cup, a fascinating third day is in store with the visitors needing quick wickets if they are to set up their second victory in the tournament.

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