Round 1– MAY 21

UWI MARK DEBUT WITH CLOSE WIN OVER ST. CATHERINE

 Review by: KEITH HOLDER

NEWCOMERS Sagicor General UWI upset last season’s losing finalists BNB St. Catherine by two wickets in the opening round of the 2006 Sagicor Super Cup championship.

Playing in Zone ‘B’ at one of their ‘home’ grounds, Brereton, because of a regrading at the 3Ws Oval in preparation for the 2007 ICC World Cup – ironically the match was switched from Bayfield due to wide cracks in the outfield - UWI gave an immediate warning that they should be watched closely.

St. Catherine were in early trouble after they were put in, slipping to 14 for three including the scalps of former Barbados batsman Ahmed Proverbs for one and new skipper Kenroy Williams without scoring. Both fell to pacer Nhamo Winn, who captained the losing 2005 Shield finalists Alexandra.

A recovery was led by Dayne Maynard and Patrick Browne, who added 71 for the fourth wicket before St. Catherine again slipped to 107 for seven.

Derick Bishop, the immediate past captain and Joel Leacock helped with a fightback by putting on 52 for the eighth wicket before the innings ended at 196 in the middle of the allotted 50 overs.

The burly Maynard, a former Barbados fast bowler who has turned into an opening batsman, led the way with 61. Bishop made 43, while Browne, a Barbados and West Indies ‘A’ wicket-keeper/batsman, and Leacock each contributed 26.

UWI showed their fighting qualities after being in some bother at 129 for seven. Raymond Singh and wicket-keeper Jabbar Niles then added 55 and after Niles was dismissed for 28 with 13 runs needed, Singh remained firm with an unbeaten 34 as UWI won with 11 balls to spare. Opener Omar Phillips topscored with 38.

In the same zone, the 2004 champions ESA Field Pickwick lost by three wickets to BDFSP, Cable & Wireless defeated Guardian General Barbados Youth ‘B’ by 26 runs and Caribbean Lumber YMPC brushed aside Police by 111 runs.

Holders ICBL Empire overcame Carib Carlton by three wickets in Zone ‘A’, Guardian General Barbados Youth ‘A’ defeated BRC BCL by six runs, Super Centre Spartan beat Banks by five wickets and Maple triumphed by four wickets over Wanderers.

Seamer Adrian Caddle played a key role for Barbados Youth ‘A’ as he grabbed the first five-wicket haul of the season in dramatic fashion.

Needing 209 for victory at Blenheim ‘A’, BCL were seemingly on course at 196 for four. But Caddle snatched four wickets in ten balls to trigger a sensational collapse as the last six wickets tumbled for six runs. He ended with five for 32 off 8.2 overs.

Left-hander Kevin Marshall made 51 and Dwayne Lynch 50.

Earlier, acting captain Renaldo Arthur hit 54 and Ashley Nurse 50 as they shared a fourth wicket stand of 64 after Barbados Youth ‘A’ were sent in. Leg-spinner Tariq Hoyte took four for 37.

There was an outstanding all-round performance by Anthony Morris of Cable & Wireless. Playing at Lester Vaughan school, he hit 66 with seven fours and four sixes in typically aggressive style and with Randy Thomas (64), pulled the Wildey side around from 119 for six by adding 83 for the seventh wicket. Cable & Wireless were eventually bowled out for 222 in 43.2 overs.

Morris then took three for 18 off ten overs with his off-spin.

Maple owed their success significantly to an unbroken seventh wicket partnership of 78 between captain Renaldo Parris (37 not out) and all-rounder Khalid Springer (40) as they chased 238.