by MIKE KING at Black Rock

SAGICOR UWI showed why they are the championship front-runners with an impressive response to a challenging total of 324 posted by nearest rivals TeleBarbados Carlton.

Carlton, who are seeking to capture an unprecedented four Cups this season, would have been hoping for a more imposing total after continuing at 239 for four, but were blasted out by the pace of a rejuvenated Jason Bennett, who ripped the heart out of the lower order.

The muscular 27-year-old, who has eight five-wicket hauls in first-class cricket, finished with five for 80, taking the last four scalps including skipper Marlon Graham for 41.

99 withour loss

UWI, unbeaten all season, were 99 without loss at stumps with dashing left-hander Omar Phillips and the teenaged right-hander Kyle Corbin taking centre-stage.

Carlton had chances to remove both with wicketkeeper Carlo Morris putting down Corbin off Graham and then Phillips in leg-spinner Dario Vaughan's first over.

It was Graham and allrounder Khalid Springer who ensured that Carlton secured a third batting point taking them past 250 just before the completion of the 75th over.

Gilford Moore, in the course of a long spell, removed Springer shortly after and it was left to Graham and Dario Vaughan to take the home team past 300.

Bennett prised out Graham and Dane Currency in successive balls, the latter fending out off a brutish lifter, before closing off the innings by rattling Vaughan's stumps.

When UWI's innings started after a brief rain delay, Phillips, 23, and Corbin, 19, quickly got the measure of the Carlton attack led by former Test bowler Corey Collymore.

Top shots

Phillips played one exquisite extra cover drive to the boundary off Springer, that was followed by a rasping square drive off the same bowler. Corbin, not to be done, played one disdainful hook off Springer that sailed out of the ground.

Corbin had overtaken Phillips and was on the verge of a half-century when Springer in the course of a new spell, struck him a painful blow on the toe with a yorker at which point the players were offered light and elected to go off with 19.1 overs left.