2003 BARBADOS FIRE & COMMERCIAL CUP REVIEW

SERIES 1 – JUNE 1

Richards hits first century of season.

UNITED CARLTON opener Dale Richards had the honour of slamming the first century of the 2003 Barbados Fire & Commercial Cup limited overs tournament.

Richards hit 109 but his effort could not prevent ICB Empire from a 27-run win at Black Rock.

ZONE ‘A’:

AT WILDEY: BANKS won a battle of neighbours by seven wickets over Cable & Wireless.

After dismissing the home side for 215 in 41 overs, Banks triumphed in 31 overs.

Sherwin Campbell and Richard Carter featured in an opening partnership of 124 to put Banks on course. Carter, in typically aggressive style, slammed 75 with five sixes while Campbell, the Barbados and former West Indies player, made 50 including seven fours and a six.

Another former West Indies player, wicket-keeper/batsman Junior Murray of Grenada, in his second season for Banks, contributed 26.

Cable & Wireless had seemed set for a more competitive total after reaching 175 for four in the 30^th over but then fell away.

Opener Don O’Neale topscored with 59 following a first wicket stand of 88 with Ron Bates (44). Prolific Barbados batsman Floyd Reifer hit 50 at No. 3.

Off-spinner Marlon Hoyte took four for 46.

AT BLACK ROCK: RICHARDS kept Carlton in the hunt with some fine stroke-play as they chased 236 for victory in 50 overs.

But after he was fifth out with the score 160, caught by wicket-keeper and captain Roland Holder off the unrelated spinner Alcindo Holder, the batting fell away. Richards’ 109 came from 112 balls and contained 12 fours and four sixes.

Carlton were bowled out for 208 in 47.4 overs.

Shawn Graham, better known for his batting, picked up four for 37 off ten overs of leg-spin.

Graham’s 45 was also the topscore in Empire’s 235 for nine. Left-hander Jason Haynes contributed 41 at the top and Roland Holder made 33.

Shirley Clarke, in ten tidy overs of off-spin, took five for 36 and another off-break bowler, Marlon Graham, who opened the bowling, three for 38.

AT BECKLES ROAD: LIFTED by a telling all-round performance from veteran an d player/coach Wendell Coppin, Caribbean Lumber YMPC brushed aside ESA Field Pickwick by 68 runs.

Coppin, who captained YMPC to the runners-up position last season, hit 43 off 41 balls in a total of 261 for seven off 50 overs and grabbed three for 27 as Pickwick fell for 193 in 46.5 overs.

Opener Ryan O’Neale led the way for YMPC with 65 and Guyanese Lonsdale Blake smashed 62 not out from 71 balls.

Kevin Marshall and Ryan Arthur both scored 42, the latter unbeaten, in Pickwick’s desperate effort, while Anthony Hurley contributed 39.

Fellow off-spinner Malcolm Powlett helped Coppin to undermine the batting, picking up three for 36.

ZONE ‘B’

AT TRENTS:  A total of 92 all out in 29.2 overs by Mount Gay Maple was certain to be far from adequate and BNB St. Catherine romped to an early victory by eight wickets.

Dwight Bowen’s 25 was the only score of over 20 as a combination of pace and spin undermined the St. James team after they were sent in.

Shawn Sargeant then hit an unbeaten 48 as St. Catherine took only 18.2 overs to knock off the runs.

AT WEYMOUTH ‘A’: STANTON Proverbs made his presence felt with both bat and ball as Police brushed aside BDFSP by 64 runs.

Proverbs, a former Barbados player, took five for 68 off ten overs with his ever improving off-spin to follow a knock of 46, batting at No.3.

Captain Trevor Griffith topscored with 61 in a Police total of 280 all out in 47.5 overs after winning the toss. Dwayne Yearwood, an opening batsman in his first season with Police after representing BDFSP, scored 42, while Sadiq Hill, old stager Leslie Reifer and Brian Corbin all got into the 20s.

Pacer Corey Edwards picked up three for 51.

Griffith and Corbin added 84 for the fifth wicket, and there was a second wicket stand of 85 between Yearwood and Proverbs.

BDFSP were given a solid start of 98 by Shane Mayers (55) and Rawle Benn (53) but the innings then fell away and they were bowled out for 216 in 39.1 overs as Proverbs and left-arm spinner Jimmy Small enjoyed their work. Small took three for 44.

AT QUEEN’S PARK: KEVIN Stoute, a gifted young player, showed his all-round ability to help spur title holders Super Centre Spartan to a resounding 116-run win over Harris Paints Wanderers.

Stoute scored 77, batting at No.5, in a total of 254 all out in 49.4 overs after Spartan had lost the toss. Sulieman Benn hit 58 and opener Corey Yearwood 35.

Marvin Forde and Gavin Beresford each took three wickets for 34 and 46 runs respectively.

Wanderers folded for 138 in 36.2 overs following a first wicket stand of 49 between Sean Armstrong (26) and skipper Dwayne Nurse (20). Leg-spinner Dave Marshall, the Spartan captain, captured four for 13 and medium-pacer Stoute three for 29.