SECOND-PLACED?CGI?Maple benefited from a century opening stand between Pedro Agard and Shane Parris to boost their title hopes and frustrate struggling Republic Bank St Catherine yesterday on the second day of their eighth series LIME Elite cricket match.
On a day of mostly sunshine in the eastern parish of St Philip with play starting promptly, Maple earned maximum bowling points.
They dismissed St?Catherine for 248 after they had resumed from 236 for seven overweek and then batted solidly to reach 153 for two at stumps.
Agard, after two missed chances, batted patiently for a well played 66. His innings, which lasted 129 balls, contained four fours and one six.
The openers survived the seven bowlers who tried desperately on a very docile pitch with the help of three dropped catches.
Parris was dropped at point early by Chad Puckerin before going on to get his half-century after play resumed following a rain stoppage.
St Catherine at this time were looking very much up against it, but fast bowler Ulric Batson was summoned for a second spell and broke the partnership at 132, when Agard was caught at short midwicket.
Parris, who struck one four and one six, was soon out with the score on 147, when he was trapped leg before to left-arm fast bowler Michael Holder.
Play ended in bright sunlight but with the allotted overs bowled.
Earlier, captain Derick Bishop was left unbeaten on 48 as St Catherine failed to get a third batting point by only scoring 12 of the 14 runs required in the remaining three overs before the 75-over cut-off.
Overweek batsman Ulric Batson was run out for 11, while Maple’s fast bowler Khalid Springer wrapped up the tail, by bowling Michael Holder for a first-ball “duck” and Neil Browne for two.
