Nicholls Baking Combermere have added another major piece of history to their growing list of achievements in the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) LIME Under-15 competition.
On the third and final day at Kensington Oval yesterday, Combermere completed a hat-trick of titles.
It was the first time in the 29-year-old competition that a side had secured such a remarkable feat and by such a wide margin.
Set a mountainous 294 to win, Queen’s College were dismissed for a paltry 111, four minutes after tea, to give Combermere a comprehensive victory by 182 runs.
That success emphasised Combermere’s dominance at this level, taking the title for the eighth time in 11 appearances; both feats being records.
Starting from an overnight 216 for eight, Combermere were all out for 245. Kastun Stoute began on 38 and Avery Chandler, one, and the partnership of 41 was broken when Chandler was adjudged lbw to Zaire Trotman for 12.
Stoute struck two more fours, including a lofted drive over the top of mid-on and he reached an excellent half-century with a single to third-man.
Eventually, he was caught and bowled by Deshon Mayers for exactly 50, which took 60 deliveries and contained nine fours in 70 minutes.
Medium pacers Ajani Ince and Ajani Batson were the leading wicket-takers with four for 39 and three for 66.
Combermere immediately started on the right note when Kayode Miller was lbw shaping to turn Kofie Gilkes into the leg-side in the second over.
Nico Reifer and Ajani Waterman looked more purposeful in the running between the wickets. The pair put on 47 for the second-wicket, before Combermere struck two vital blows just before lunch.
Waterman pulled a short-ball straight to short-midwicket and the pint-sized Anthony Manning-Merritt gleefully accepted the catch.
Off-spinner Manning-Merritt had Ince caught behind cutting at one too close to him and Queen’s College went to the break on 68 for three, with Reifer on 31 and Mekhail Marshall two. Â
Manning-Merritt won an lbw appeal against Reifer when he attempted a sweep after adding three runs. Soon afterwards, Jamahl Burke swung across a flighted delivery and was bowled by Manning-Merritt, who finished with three for 20.
A sharp shower halted play for 24 minutes but the slide continued as Queen’s College lost a further three wickets before tea.
Deshon Mayers was caught low down at cover off Gilkes (2-22). Ajani Batson pulled off-spinner Indal Persaud (four for 19) to mid-on and Darian Griffith edged a delivery from Shain Brathwaite to wicket-keeper Chandler three balls to the interval.
The final two wickets fell, eight balls after the break with the total still on 111. Marshall was well caught by Lamar Springer moving to his right at mid-on off Persaud for a fighting 32.
Celebrations erupted when Darian Trotman had a wild swing at Persaud and was bowled. It was indeed a fantastic way to christen the first final hosted at the Oval.
