BRATHWAITE’S Construction Crane Resort St Catherine held their nerve to defeat defending champions Sagicor UWI by three wickets with two balls to spare in a thrilling high-scoring Sagicor Super12 Twenty20 encounter yesterday at Three Ws Oval witnessed by chairman of the West Indies selectors, Clive Lloyd.
After UWI posted 193 for seven, St Catherine reached 196 for seven in 19.4 overs. They lost captain Omar Phillips in the second over but Neil Browne carried on to dominate a 75-run second-wicket partnership with wicket keeper Mario Rampersaud (37).
Browne narrowly missed a half-century as he was run out for 49. He faced 21 deliveries and struck six fours along with three sixes while Rampersaud struck five fours.
Useful contributions also came from Dwayne Skeete (26 not out), Renaldo Kellman and Ulric Batson, who scored the winning runs.
Rovman Powell, who was run out for 39 from 18 balls, returned with the ball to take three for 24 to be UWI’s best bowler. The other top scorer for UWI was Kavem Hodge (40) while left-arm spinner Damian Browne grabbed four for 30. – AYANA HOLDER
AT 3WS OVAL: Police opened their account when they waltzed to a resounding victory by seven wickets over Massy United Insurance Wildey.
After restricting Wildey to 114 in 18 overs, Police sped to 117 for three in 17.5 overs with opening pair Dwayne Yearwood and Richard Greaves racing to a 100-run partnership before they both fell to off-spinner Kyle Sargeant in the 14th over.
Yearwood unleashed an onslaught on Wildey’s bowlers with the brunt of his fury directed at medium-pacer Gregory Alleyne, who was taken for five boundaries in his second and final over. Altogether, Yearwood smote seven fours and three sixes off 45 balls.
Wildey, who were sent in, crumbled against off-spinner Stefan Gooding (2-4) and pacer Trevor Ifill (2-6) both off three overs. Opener Zachary McCaskie top scored with 33.  – WAYNE HOLDER
AT QUEEN’S PARK: SIERKA Rentals Maple survived a creditable response and recorded a comfortable 51-run win over Guardian General Barbados Youth.
Needing an imposing 212, Barbados Youth ended on 160 for three from 20 overs. Shakib Kellman smashed a maiden half-century, 58 from 45 balls, punctuated with five sixes and one four. He and Kadeem Alleyne 36 (44 balls, 2×4) shared an opening partnership of 90 in 14 overs. The first of Kellman’s sixes came off West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach over long-on. Joshua Bishop lashed a whirlwind 15-ball knock of 42 which included five sixes and one four.
Earlier, Maple made 211 for six. Collis Worrell with 64 (42 balls, 5×4, 6×4) and Renaldo Parris, 58, led the charge.
Parris, a physical education teacher at Alexandra School, faced just 22 balls, hitting three fours and six sixes – all coming off his Alexandra students Shaquane Cave and Bishop. – ELVIS HOWARD
AT QUEEN’S PARK: A fluent unbeaten half-century by opener Akeem Springer and a dominant all-round bowling display led Massy Stores Spartan to a comfortable eight-wicket victory over Carlton.
Chasing Carlton’s 115 in 19.1 overs, Springer struck an aggressive unbeaten 70 off 59 balls to guide Spartan home after losing his opening partner and captain Rashidi Boucher in the opening over. Springer ended the game with his third six, taking Spartan to 119 for two in 18.4 overs. In all he struck nine fours and faced 59 deliveries.
Earlier, Rico Webb led a clinical bowling performance with figures of three for 26, reducing Carlton at one stage to 78 for seven. Sadrian Ward top scored for Carlton with 28. – PHILIP HACKETT
AT PARAGON: Spinners continue to wreck havoc in local cricket as ESA Field Pickwick left-arm spinner Che Layne tormented ICBL Empire batting in the morning match to lead his team to an easy 50-run victory.
Layne collected six for 13 as the Empire batsmen gave a poor display and were routed for a meagre 75 when chasing down Pickwick’s modest total of 125 for seven.
Earlier, Pickwick’s final total was accumulated through the efforts of Craig St Hill’s run-a-ball top score of 40 which included three fours and one six. He added a game-high partnership of 39 for the third wicket with veteran Mike Mathews, who contributed 29. Off-spinner Shane Jones took 3-18 against his old club. – LINDON YARDE
AT PARAGON: A couple of sad days got even more sombre for Counterpoint Wanderers when they were narrowly defeated by five runs by Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme (BDFSP).
Wearing black arm-bands as a mark of respect following the death of respected club member Tony Cozier last Wednesday, Wanderers lost to school team Foundation on Saturday in the Super Cup.
Wanderers’ mood didn’t improve after restricting BDFSP to 138 for eight in their 20 overs and falling short in reply at 133 for seven.
A 36-ball 52 with three sweetly timed fours and two sixes by the elegant right-hander Jonathan Drakes kept the visitors in the hunt until the final delivery when a six was needed. West Indies opener Kraigg Brathwaite 30 had laid the foundation for Drakes.
Earlier, Tevyn Walcott, 53 with four sixes, led the soldiers to their winning total. Walcott and Vitaly Wilkinson (25) shared a fifth-wicket stand of 66. – HAROLD EASTMOND Â
