Barbados Cricket Association article.
Bridgetown, Barbados - Unless there are "strange" results, ICBL Empire are well set to capture the 2014 BCA Elite division championship tomorrow with two matches to spare, and fittingly in the 100th anniversary year of the Bank Hall club.
On a bright, hot, sunny Day 2 of Series 8 when three more centuries were scored to stretch the record number for the season to 24 since ten teams have been competing from 2012 (rebranded Elite from Division 1), Empire's superb march to the title which has eluded them for a decade was virtually secured after picking up ten points against BDFSP at Paragon.
Going into the round with a massive 37-point lead over second-placed CGI Maple, who are the defending champions, and based on how Maple and third-placed Sagicor Life UWI have fared so far, it would require sensational wins from both in the event that Empire are held to a draw, to stop the Bank Hall team from celebrating tomorrow.
As it stands, Empire are on 118 points and there is great pressure on Maple to not only take first innings points over Brathwaite Construction/Republic Bank St. Catherine at Trents, but also pick up at least two batting points in the event of a draw to delay Empire's inevitable success on Sunday.
At the same time, former gurus UWI who against the odds were led on first innings by relegation-worried LIME at the 3Ws Oval, must win to keep interest alive.
The outcome of the other matches tomorrow will be only of academic interest.
Joining the list of century-makers today were Marrodon Bend of Massy Stores Spartan, Empire's Roston Chase and veteran Randy Thomas, the LIME captain.
Bend, a former Barbados Under-19 team player, who celebrated his 24th birthday on September 12, manhandled the bowling of a weak Guardian General Barbados Youth at Queen's Park in scoring 156 - his fourth century at this level - as the home side gained a massive 284-run first innings lead before talented national Under-17 and Under-19 all-rounder Nicholas Kirton led a spirited fightback with an unbeaten 60 in a second innings 122 for three at stumps after picking up four wickets with his off-spin.
All-rounder Chase, 22, a first-class player, made 137 - his second century of the season and sixth in the major league championship - in Empire's 308 for four declared which gave them a first innings lead of 112.
Chase now has 479 runs in eight innings including one not out, at an average of 68.43.
It was the fourth time in ten innings this season that Empire had scored over 300, declaring as well on all four occasions.
BDFSP will resume on 36 without loss, knowing that the batting must produce in a big way to stop Empire from a seventh straight win.
And the 32-year-old Thomas, who played one first-class match for Barbados 11 years ago, hit 102 - his 11th top league hundred - to help spur under-pressure LIME to 301 for five off 79 overs, their first total of over 300 in an innings for the season, in reply to a first innings 276 all out.
At 3Ws Oval:
LIME are playing like a "drowning man catching at a straw". In the circumstances, they must be admired for their fighting spirit over the last two weekends in the face of adversity.
Less we forget, apart from languishing second last in the Elite division points table and with the knowledge that rock-bottom Barbados Youth are exempt from demotion, LIME went into this round mentally and psychologically hurt by a very serious shooting of one of their established players, wicket-keeper/batsman Cyprian Payne, on the eve of the match, and which has left him hospitalised.
Lifted by a career-best nine for 78 from off-spinner Michael Agard III, they managed to gain the full four bowling points on the opening day.
The very nexy day their spirits were further lifted by not only beating UWI by a massive 246 runs, also at the 3Ws Oval, in the Sagicor General Super Cup championship, but also becoming the first team ever to bowl their opponents out for under 100 (85 in 25.2 overs) in the nine years UWI have been contesting the island's major one-day championship, of which LIME are the title holders, but also languish very low in the points table.
Therefore, the effort put in by their batsmen today was very commendable.
It was led by skipper Randy Thomas, with a fine century and his cousin Kemar Brathwaite, who made 74.
The pair added 182 for the third wicket following the dismissals of Aubrey Towler for nought and left-hander Justin Brathwaite (20) in his first league match of the season following a professional contract in the United Kingdom.
By tea, Thomas and Kemar Brathwaite had taken the score to 150 for two off 41 overs with Thomas on 60 and Brathwaite, 51.
Brathwaite was eventually dismissed by pacer Dawayne Seale. He faced 141 balls and struck eight boundaries.
Thomas made 102 off 211 balls with eight fours and four sixes after reaching his hundred off 202 deliveries. He was leg before wicket by Sealy, who picked up two for 54 off 13 overs.
UWI were further frustrated by an unbroken stand of 48 between batting all-rounder Nekoli Parris, a former long-standing UWI player just back from a pro contract in England and Matthew Greaves, both unbeaten on 29 .
LIME managed three batting points, having reached 271 for five after 75 overs - the cut-off for gaining batting and bowling points - to add to their four bowling points and another three for first innings lead.
At Paragon:
Set up by a century from Roston Chase and an unbeaten half-century from Ryan Hinds, who added 112 in 17.2 overs for the fourth wicket, Empire again put themselves in a good position to fight for yet another win.
Starting the day on 41 for one with Chase on 14 and skipper Jamal Smith, 12, the pair carried the score to 102 before Smith, cutting, was caught by stand-in wicket-keeper Rico Wiggins off off-spinner Kemar Jabari Smith for 39 to end a stand of 84.
Chase and Kevin Stoute then put on exactly 50 before Stoute cut a short ball from off-spinner Dwayne Skeete into the hands of point in Marlon Welcome-Goodman after scoring 24.
At tea the score was 205 for three off 57 overs with Chase on 97 and left-hander Hinds, 21.
Chase was eventually dismissed by medium-pacer Welcome-Goodman for 137, which contained 12 fours and two sixes as he moved to within 21 runs of reaching 500 runs for the season.
Veteran all-rounder Hinds batted steadily and by the end of the 75th over, Empire were 275 for four.
They declared four overs later at 308 for four with Hinds unbeaten on 58, which included three fours and one six, and Alcindo Holder on 21.
BDFSP will resume on 36 without loss with Dario Boyce on 16 and Renaldo Brathwaite 12.
At Queen's Park:
Whipping boys Barbados Youth were staging a spirited fightback after Marrodon Bend hit a splendid century to help give Spartan a first innings lead of 284.
From an overweek 98 for two with Bend on 37 and Reydon Toppin, 26, Spartan soon lost Toppin, leg before wicket by off-spinner Kirton after adding only one.
Bend reached his century in 135 minutes off 98 balls with six fours and four sixes. All told, he batted for 177 minutes and struck ten sixes and nine fours.
With left-hander Jameel Stuart, who made 43, Bend added 107 for the seventh wicket.
Spartan were bowled out for 322 in 62.4 overs.
Kirton was the leading wicket-taker with four for 66 off 16.4 overs, while leg-spinner Javed Leacock picked up three for 92 off 13 overs.
Left-hander Kirton then returned to score an unbeaten 60 with his fifty coming in 82 minutes off 51 balls inclusive of five fours and one six as Barbados Youth closed on 122 for three.
But they will have to bat virtually all day to deny Spartan their second win of the season.
At Trents:
Unless the "country" teams engage in a "sporting" match as was the case last year at Bayfield when a second innings declaration by St. Catherine on the last day when first innings points were decided, and which led to a sensational five-wicket victory with four balls remaining for Maple, this match seems destined for a draw.
With only 13.4 overs bowled on a rain-hit first day, St. Catherine took their score from 20 for three to 113 all out in 48.5 overs.
Patrick Browne, the former Barbados player, who also played for West Indies in One-Day Internationals, topscored with 38 after starting the day on ten.
All-rounder Kenroy Williams made 34, which carried his aggregate for the season to 479.
Renaldo Parris took four for 21 off 9.5 overs and fellow off-spinner Ramon Greaves, two for 38 off 12 overs.
Maple were 82 for five off 47 overs at stumps with former long-standing St. Catherine all-rounder Joel Michael Leacock on 15 and left-hander Orman Kellman, 13 not out, carrying the fight for first innings points.
Renaldo Parris made 22 and Jed Yearwood 21 before both fell in quick succession during which Maple lost four wickets for eight runs before Leacock and Kellman consolidated.
Off-spinner Williams has picked up two for 22 off 11 overs.
At Foursquare Oval:
CounterPoint Wanderers got the better of ESA Field Pickwick in an exciting battle for first innings points between lowly-placed teams.
After dismissing the home side for 122 in 48.4 overs from an over week 113 for nine with leg-spinner Nikolai Charles taking the last wicket to finish with five for 21 off 14.4 overs - his only 'five-for' for the season - Wanderers were under pressure on 100 for eight before Craig Holder and Gary Belle brought them to within four runs of the lead.
Left-hander Holder, who went to the crease at No. 5, then fell to off-spinner Romelle Small for the topscore of 29, which came in 166 minutes off 112 balls and included a solitary boundary.
But Wanderers got relief when pacer Shakeem Clarke, the son of former Barbados and West Indies tearaway fast bowler, the late Sylvester Clarke, swung off-spinner Shane Jones to the boundary before he was leg before wicket by Small as Wanderers secured a four-run lead. Bell was unbeaten on 12.
Jones took four for 54 off 24 consecutive overs, left-arm pacer Adeko Collymore picked up three for 13 off eight overs and Small, two for 16.
Pickwick resume on 40 without loss in their second innings with Craig St. Hill on 21 and Jamal Phillips, 16.
First Published On bcacricket.org.