LEG-SPINNER Akeem Dewar chose a windy, overcast afternoon yesterday to produce his best bowling return for champions Sagicor UWI.
The slim 20-year-old Jamaican bowled UWI to a healthy 121-run first innings honours over ESA Field Pickwick with career-best figures of six for 48 off 20 overs on the second day of their top-of-the table fourth series LIME Elite Division cricket encounter.
With the more vaunted off-spinner Ryan Austin rarely going wicketless in 13 overs against his former club, Dewar bemused the visiting batsmen with his bounce and turn.
Pickwick were skittled out for a modest 144, replying to UWI’s first innings total of 265 for nine wickets declared.
At the close, UWI were five without loss and will no doubt hunt quick runs on today’s final day – which starts half hour early – in a bid for a fourth consecutive victory.
Only all-rounder Ryan Layne – with a fluent 85-ball knock of 55, decorated with seven fours over the lush green and well-manicured outfield – and to a lesser extent, captain Rondelle Yearwood – who gathered 25 in 88 minutes off 69 balls – batted with any degree of conviction against the Dewar-led UWI bowling attack.
They linked up with the Pickwick innings in tatters at 15 for three after former Barbados Under-19 pacer Marques Clarke had trapped opener Clint St Hill leg before wicket for a first-ball “duck” and 21-year-old Antiguan pacer Samuel Peters had dispatched coach-player Corey Yearwood and opener Jamal Phillips cheaply in his second and third overs.
Layne and his skipper added 66 for the fourth wicket but once Dewar snared his first scalp, having Rondelle Yearwood was caught behind just before lunch was taken at 84 for four, there was a post-interval capitulation.
Operating from the Ramadhin & Valentine Southern End with a strong breeze at his back, Dewar claimed the next five wickets, including Layne, leaving Peters, who ended with three for 20, to finish off the innings, after play resumed following a 25-minute rain stoppage late in the day.
