Batsmen struggled on yesterday's opening day of the second Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) trial match, but according to national coach Junior Bennett this was due to a specially requested pitch.

However, Bennett, while admitting that the pitch was difficult to bat on, blamed the batsmen for making some careless shots.

"What we had requested is a difficult pitch to bat on, a pitch that would challenge the batsmen," he said while explaining last weekend's pitch at Up Park Camp "was extremely flat."

"This one had some bounce, lateral movement and some pace," he said of the pitch which pacers - Andre Russell (3-59), Ricardo Dacres (2-47) and David Bernard (2-20) shared seven wickets. Leg-spinner Odean Brown, who did not concede a run, took two wickets.

10 fours off 85 balls

Donovan Pagon, who hit 10 fours off 85 balls in his top-score of 56, and Wavell Hinds' 26, which included three fours and a six, put together the innings' biggest partnership - 53 for the fourth wicket. Daren Powell made 34 and Nikita Miller chipped in with 33 in their team's 182.

Bennett while giving credit to the bowlers, said: "I think the batting team (Tamar Lambert's XI) could have made more runs. Although the pitch had some lateral movement and pace, with more application, they could have done better".

Towards the close Bernard's XI with Brenton Parchment, who is yet to score, and Xavier Marshall, five, had some problems against Powell and Dacres who shared four overs.