TeleBarbados Carlton and Sheffield will start the battle today, in what should be a keenly contested final of the Barbados Cricket Association’s (BCA) Division 2 championship. Both sides have gone unbeaten up to this point.
The three- day encounter bowls off at 12: 30 p.m at the Pine Basin, home of Ince Transport MTW Sports and Cultural Association. The match continues next Saturday and Sunday.
Sheffield are brimming with confidence after their comprehensive nine-wicket win over COW Equipment Malvern in the semi- finals. They will be appearing in only their second final.
Carlton advanced to this stage by taking first innings lead against Seven Seas Police in their drawn semi-final. Carlton won zone ‘C’ of the preliminary round with 49 points while Sheffield were the best second-placed team overall in the three zones with 53 points in zone ‘A’.
Carlton’s batting will centre around the likes of Julian Boyce 402 runs including a fine 63 in the semi-final, openers Rudolph Prescod, 382 runs, and Donovan Lovell with 352. There is also Romel King, 314, runs and the club’s president and captain Roger Moore with 261 runs.
Spinners Lovell with 25 wickets, Terry Carrington, 24, and Moore 22, have done the bulk of the damage.
They are backed up by medium-pacers Keilu Jackman with 19, Yusuf Nagdee (17) and Rudy Mayers (14) wickets, including an impressive four for 21 in the semis.
Sheffield boasts of an exciting group of youngsters and are led by consistently improving fast- medium all- rounder Akeem Franklin who has amassed 359 runs in addition to 32 wickets.
Their most experience player is 46- year-old Otho Selman, who made a splendid 66 in the first innings of the semi- final. The main men at the top of the order are Dario Babb with 450 runs, including an unbeaten match- winning 109 against Malvern in the preliminary round. Brian Carryl, wicket- keeper/ batsman Dario Selman and Sean Benn are expected to come good.
Talented off-spinner Kevin Springer is the leading wicket-taker with 42 scalps. He has been ably supported by medium-pacer Leandro Walcott with 25. There is also fellow medium-pacer Glen Pitt, one of only three players over the age of 40.
Carlton have five players over that age group including a couple who have played at the Division 1 level.
Teams:
Carlton (from): Roger Moore (captain), Julian Boyce, Romel King, Rudolph Prescod, Donovan Lovell, Sam Cooper, Haydan Thompson, Yusuf Nagdee, Rudy Mayers, Keilu Jackman, Terry Carrington, Keon Harding, Amal Reid.
Sheffield (from): Akeem Franklin (captain), Dario Babb, Brian Caroll, Dario Selman, Otho Selman, Glenn Pitt, Kevin Springer, Leandro Walcott, Sean Benn, Kareem Callender, Ian Yarde, Trevor Merritt.
