Barbados Cricket Association article.
Bridgetown, Barbados - Christmas is still over two months away but ICBL Empire found ample time to toy with teenagers as they prepared to celebrate the capture of the 2014 BCA Elite division Championship as early as next weekend to mark the club's 100th anniversary in a big way.
In unquestionably one of the most memorable top league domestic performances in the last three-and-half decades, which has resulted in a record six straight wins from the start, Empire set the stage for a seventh victory in eight matches with yet another fine batting display on Saturday.
After losing the toss against rock-bottom Guardian General Barbados Youth on home turf at Bank Hall and spurred by centuries from veteran Ryan Hinds and the talented, young all-rounder Justin Greaves, who featured in a double-century stand for the sixth wicket, Empire were the only team to score over 300, reaching 331 for seven off 75.2 overs at stumps.
It was the fifth time in 12 innings this season that Jamal Smith's side had amassed over 300 and as was the case in each instance, a declaration is certain.
Left-hander Hinds, a successful former Barbados captain, who also played for West Indies and is still keen to prove that at the age of 33 he should be in the Barbados squad for both the 2014-15 regional first-class and NAGICO Super50 Championships, slammed 120 - his 12th century at this level (rebranded Elite from Division 1 in 2012) since his debut in 1996 and first in three seasons.
The 20-year-old Greaves, a former West Indies Under-19 team fast bowling all-rounder, was unbeaten on an even century, which was his second in a somewhat strange and chequered local domestic career during which he has played only 11 top league matches since his first game for Barbados Youth in 2010.
Having picked up the maximum four batting points, Empire moved to 122 and only require two more points to start celebrating the first league title since 2004.
Title holders CGI Maple, the only other team going into the ninth and penultimate series (Series 2, originally slated for June 21, 28 & 29 was rescheduled due to a late decision to play the third and final Test between West Indies and India at Kensington Oval and is now slated for October 18, 25 & 26) with a mathematical but extremely remote chance of at least sharing the title, on 87 points, were forced to virtually surrender in every sense of the word.
Ironically, Maple were mashed by LIME, who are desperately fighting to avoid relegation.
Sent in at Wildey after wet conditions delayed the start of play by one-and-a-half hours, Maple were dismissed for 70 - their only total of under 100 on being bowled out this season.
Badly needing their first win of the season and furthermore full points, LIME, who went into this round one from the bottom of the table on 47 points, made a positive response by reaching 51 for one at the close and have so far gained four points.
LIME's display on Saturday would have suddenly left the likes of BDFSP, ESA Field Pickwick and CounterPoint Wanderers a bit jittery, as neither can afford to slip now and even more interestingly, are all intimately involved in the final round when LIME host Wanderers and BDFSP are to home to Pickwick.
Pickwick, who were on 54 points, dismissed Massy Stores Spartan for 175 at Foursquare Oval to earn four bowling points, while Wanderers, also on the same points as Pickwick prior to this series, picked up four bowling points, too, after BDFSP, who were on 57 points, fell for 192 at Paragon.
Brathwaite Construction/Republic Bank St. Catherine, the only other side in that 'dicy" zone prior to this series with 56 points, made significant progress by bowling former gurus Sagicor Life UWI out for 75 before reaching 125 for seven at the close, to guarantee themselves seven points at a stage when the weather can be fickle.
Apart from Hinds and Greaves, there was personal satisfaction for at least one other batsman today.
Empire's Roston Chase became the fifth batsman to record 500 runs for the season in a knock of 42, which carried his aggregate to 534 behind the Pickwick captain Kyle Hope (645), UWI opener Kyle Corbin (622) and Marlon Welcome Goodman of BDFSP (541), with Welcome-Goodman's club captain Antonio Greenidge on 506.
At Bank Hall:
Ryan Hinds and Justin Greaves showed Barbados Youth who are the masters and students.
When Empire were reduced to 137 for five off 40 overs at tea, Barbados Youth had every reason to feel relatively happy with their work in the two-and-a-half hour session.
But Hinds and Greaves then consolidated as they featured in a sixth-wicket stand of 204.
Left-hander Hinds reached his century in three hours off 138 balls with 12 threes and two fours, while Greaves got to his in 152 minutes off 140 deliveries, striking 14 threes and three fours.
Hinds eventually fell to off-spinner Nicholas Kirton, who also removed Jomel Warrican with the next ball, which climaxed play for the day.
Kirton took three for 61 off 14.2 overs and leg-spinner Javed Leacock, two for 52 off 13 overs.
One of Leacock's wickets was all-rounder Roston Chase, who made 42 to take his aggregate for the season to 534 - the fifth batsman to join the 500-run club.
At Bayfield:
UWI were undone by a combination of pace and spin.
After winning the toss, they stumbled to 32 for five against the new ball pair of pacer Ulric Batson and left-arm spinner Derick Bishop before Yannick Ottley and debutant Keron Cottoy added 21 for the sixth wicket.
They were eventually bowled out for 75 in 33 overs.
Ottley, a Trinidadian who went to the crease art No. 4, was the only double-figure contributor with 38.
Bishop took four for 39 off 14 overs to push his tally of wickets for the season to 37, while Batson picked up three for 13 and left-arm spinner Alston Bobb, two for ten.
St. Catherine then slipped to 21 for three before closing on 125 for seven off 42 overs.
Neil Browne scored 34 and wicket-keeper/batsman Tevyn Walcott was unbeaten on 21.
Leg-spinner Keron Cottoy, a Vincentian, took three for 50 and Dominican left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge, two for 50.
At Foursquare Oval:
Following a delayed start by one hour due to wet conditions, Spartan recovered from dire straits at 39 for five to rally to 175 all out in 58 overs following the luck of the toss by Pickwick.
Fast bowling all-rounder Andre Gill topscored with 46 sat No. 6, while Chaim Holder contributed a typically, aggressive 35 at No. 9 and Jabbar Niles, 23.
Seamer Zahir Motara, who took three of the early wickets, finished with three for eight off nine overs.
Off-spinner Romelle Small picked up two for 25 and leg-spinner Aaron Jones, playing his first match of the season following a stint in England organised by the BCA and the Lancashire Cricket Board, two for 46.
At Paragon:
Leg-spinner Nikolai Charles continued to enjoy himself of late with six for 51 off 20 overs - his third consecutive five-wicket haul - to help restrict BDFSP to 192 all out in 53.3 overs after they were sent in.
The home side slipped from 71 for one to 125 for six on either side of tea before Rico Wiggins and Ackeem Clinkett put in 60 for the seventh wicket.
But once Wiggins was leg before wicket by Charles for the topscore of 55, the innings quickly folded.
Opener Renaldo Brathwaite made 47 and Clinkett was unbeaten on 24.
Medium-pacer Roshon Primus supported Charles with two for 24.
Wanderers will resume on 27 for two.
At Wildey:
LIME's late surge to avoid relegation continues to be very encouraging.
Against the odds in the previous series, they picked up their most points in a match (ten) and became the only team to score 400 in an innings for the season (405-9 declared), off none other than the star-studded UWI.
Now they showed Maple it was not a fluke, sending the St. James team crashing to 70 all out n 27.3 overs after winning the toss.
Maple were 34 for eight at one stage.
There were three double-figure contributors in Khalid Springer (17) and Joel Michael Leacock and Ramon Greaves (14 each).
Pacer Javon Searles, in his first match of the season, grabbed four for 11 off nine overs, while off-spinners Michael Agard, Jr. and Ashley Nurse each took two for 11 and 23 respectively.
LIME closed on 51 for one with Randy Thomas unbeaten on 24 and Devon Phillips, 23.
First Published On bcacricket.org.