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By Keith Holder
At Bank Hall
IN what was anticipated to be an epic battle
following the previous season’s final, Empire
overcame some anxious moments on the Duckworth/Lewis
method after an interruption for rain to defeat St.
Catherine by seven runs.
A big, appreciative crowd was kept on their feet in
overcast conditions as the pendulum swung to and fro
during St. Catherine’s run chase, bringing back
memories of exciting play in the tournament in the
1980s and early 90s.
As was the case in the 2005 final at the 3Ws Oval
(played January 7, 2006), St. Catherine had a good
chance of winning but were let down by the lower
order. On that occasion, in pursuit of 236, they
collapsed and lost by 23 runs with 22 balls
remaining. The last four wickets fell for 19 runs.
Now the Duckworth/Lewis method, introduced for the
first time this season from the quarter-finals, gave
them a reasonable opportunity following Empire’s
imposing 273 for six off 50 overs. That total was
amassed in generally sunny conditions on a belter of
a pitch for batting.
St. Catherine were set a revised target of 198 off
32 overs after rain halted their innings with the
score 23 without loss off six overs and held up play
for 72 minutes. They passed 100 with just one wicket
down in the 20th over but were eventually restricted
to 190 for eight.
Ryan Hinds, the Barbados captain, played a key role
with both bat and ball for Empire. He hit 70 off 82
balls with ten threes and two fours and took two
wickets to earn the man-of-the-match award.
Hinds and captain and fellow left-hander Jason
Haynes, who topscored with 77 from 87 deliveries
with 11 threes and a four, added 132 off 24.1 overs
for the second wicket after Empire had the luck of
the toss.
The in-form all-rounder Kevin Stoute slammed an
unbeaten 50 off 41 balls with six threes and three
fours. He put on 68 in just 8.2 overs for the sixth
wicket with fast bowling all-rounder Javon Searles,
who made 28 off 26 balls.
Fast bowler Brian Shepherd, who came close to
achieving a hat-trick, took three for 42 off seven
overs including the wickets of Hinds and Alcindo
Holder off successive balls, along with Haynes.
Medium-pacer Joel Leacock chipped in with two for
44.
Shepherd’s first over was dramatic after he was
belatedly introduced into the attack in the 36th
over. He bowled Hinds with the first ball and then
had Holder edging a catch to wicket-keeper Patrick
Browne.
After first-class umpire Vincent Bullen turned down
a raucous appeal for another catch at the wicket
against Stoute with Shepherd gunning for the
hat-trick, there was plenty debate about the
decision for a long time among the fans. It didn’t
bother Stoute as he proceded to put bat to ball and
the runs continued to flow.
Openers Leacock and Dayne Maynard played
intelligently to give St. Catherine inspiration. The
former played some attractive strokes in the
topscore of 66 from 80 balls with 14 threes.
Maynard contributed 28 in a stand of 59 off 10.2
overs, Horace Walrond made 24, Browne 21 and Lonelle
Hutson 14, Hutson opening his shoulders against big
fast bowler Ryan Nurse in a desperate late bid.
Maynard’s dismissal, brilliantly caught at
extra-cover by Hinds off Nurse, who was operating
from the south, let in Walrond, a former Barbados
player like Maynard.
Leacock and Walrond added 48 in 9.5 overs and after
Walrond was leg before wicket by Nurse, St.
Catherine kept in the hunt.
Inclusive of the dismissal of Browne who was caught
at long-off off Nurse, four wickets fell for 23 runs
in 21 balls with pacer Searles accounting for his
former Coleridge and Parry school-mate Leacock, who
was fourth out at the end of the 27th over.
Hinds then removed Derick Bishop in the middle of
the next over by way of a spooned catch to the
‘keeper and captain Kenroy Williams was bowled two
balls later as he gave himself room to drive in what
was the bowler’s last over.
Left-hander Hutson then renewed St. Catherine’s
hopes.
Thirty-three runs were needed off the last three
overs and 20 off the last two after Nurse was
smashed for 13 in the first of a new spell from the
northern end against the big-hitting Hutson, who
lifted three fours out of the ground.
Searles, however, pulled it back by conceding just
four runs from the penultimate over including the
wicket of Hutson.
Shepherd and the injured Shawn Sargeant, batting
with a runner, were unable to find crucial
boundaries and Empire duly advanced to their eighth
final and fifth in the last seven seasons.
Nurse ended with four for 70 off ten overs, Searles
picked up two for 24 and Hinds, two for 49.
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