A CAREER-BEST haul by medium-pacer Tennyson Roach and steady batting in their second innings piloted Caribbean Lumber YMPC to a dominant position over ESA Field Pickwick going into the final day of their sixth-round LIME Division 1 match yesterday.
Roach prised out the last two Pickwick batsmen to return remarkable figures of nine for 39 from 12.4 overs (two for two from two overs yesterday) as the visitors lost their last three wickets for the addition of three runs to be dismissed for 119 and concede first innings lead by nine runs.
Batting a second time, the hosts strengthened their position by posting 295 all out to set their guests 305 for victory today.
YMPC talisman Dwayne Smith fashioned an attractive knock of 74 to lead the home team’s second innings’ effort.
Smith substituted his usually, belligerent approach to unfurl several sublimely timed strokes on both sides of the wicket while dominating a third-wicket stand worth 83 with the more sedate Shamar Cooke (30), whom he joined at the crease after pacer Antonio Thomas had removed the openers.
The right-handed pair took 54 minutes over the first 50 runs off 73 balls before Smith brought up his half-century with a sweep to the square-leg boundary off leg-spinner Ryan Layne (three for 70).
The landmark came off 34 deliveries, took just 57 minutes and was decorated with eight threes and four fours.
Pickwick still had hope at the tea interval, taken with YMPC at 136 for four, with both batsmen back in the pavilion, falling to “soft” dismissals. Cooke played across and missed Layne’s full toss and Smith lofted an indeterminate drive to be caught for the second time of the match by Rommel Small on the long-on boundary.
Ryan Wiggins and Matthew King, 53 and 42 respectively, featured in the second half-century partnership to further fortify the Beckles Road club’s stranglehold.
To add salt to Pickwick’s wounds, Roach complemented his outstanding bowling with a breezy 30 out of a 57-run eighth-wicket alliance with Liu Ross, unbeaten on 30.