SAGICOR UWI had to settle for a share of the 2010 LIME Division One cricket title with Super Centre Spartan after failing to get a third bowling point in a drawn encounter with the plucky Guardian General Barbados Youth, yesterday.
With Spartan collecting maximum 16 points from their match against Old Brigand Dover and defending champions UWI only earning nine after gaining first innings lead, both teams ended on 132 points.
UWI needed to take three more wickets in 13 overs before the 75-over cut off for a crucial third bowling point after the youngsters resumed from 221 for five following an hour delay because of mid-morning rain.
UWI threw everything they had at the Barbados Youth batsmen but the youngsters rallied to 311 all out in reply to UWI’s first innings total of 453 for seven declared.
UWI batted one over in their second innings and declared at six for one with Raymon Reifer making three to end the season with 802 runs.
The Barbados Youth never got a chance to chase the target of 149 due to a brief shower and the match was called off at 4:10 p.m..
“It is still a good feeling. We are not disappointed about sharing (the title). We played well throughout the season. We came from behind as we were in the bottom half early in the season. The guys fought well and we actually did a lot of work to get back
to the top where we were last year,” UWI’s captain Omar Phillips said.
Phillips lauded the Barbados Youth for their resistance.
“The youngsters showed some good fight. We got a lot of young talent coming up,” he noted.
Earlier, the main defiance came from tall right-hander Clint St Hill, who made 40 with seven fours off 91 balls in 124 minutes and newcomer Kemar Smith, who smashed three sixes and four fours in an attractive 42 off 62 balls after overnight batsman Kyle Mayers was out for 63 in an eventful first over of the day from off-spinner Ryan Austin.
Austin, who had a confident appeal for a catch at the wicket turned down and was then struck for a big six by Mayers, picked up his ninth fifth-wicket haul of the season when the same batsman cut a delivery for Romel Currency to take a low catch at point. It was Austin’s 71st wicket of the season.
Over at Queen’s Park, the day ended in glorious fashion for Super Centre Spartan but in disgrace for demoted Old Brigand Dover. The Parkites won by default when Dover was unable to field the mandatory seven players for the start of the Spartan second innings.
Dover moved their overnight total of 137 for nine to 171 all out with last pair Daley Hurley and Jermaine Dey adding 41 runs. It all ended when Hurley who scored 20, became the fifth wicket of Spartan bowling hero Andre Marshall . Jermaine Dey remained not out on 22 with Marshall taking five for 45.
The Parkites set 12 to win, won by default when umpires Richard King and Earl Collymore called play with only four Dover players on the field. The officials duly notified Dover captain Sean Armstrong that he did not have the required number of players so the match would be forfeited.
“I am feeling good after a hard season with 13 games,” Spartan captain Jabbar Niles said after the game when asked about his feeling. “Planning and the structure of the club was pivotal to our success this season,” Niles added.
“The Spartan club has in Philip Browne one of the youngest club presidents ever. Coach Dave Marshall approached me about two weeks before the start of the season about my interest in captaining the First Division and I expressed my interest,” Niles said when asked about his elevation to the captaincy.
Niles thanked his young players for the support given to him throughout the season. And to the older players in coach Dave Marshall, Sulieman Benn and Wayne Blackman for the respect given to him throughout the season.
“It means a lot to the club and sponsors Super Centre us winning the trophy as this fine institution Spartan with a long legacy and tradition has not won the championship since 2003,” as Niles thanked his sponsors.
“I think it should be a level playing field in terms of tie-breakers for the teams at the top and at the bottom in determining the final places at the end of the season”, Niles remarked when asked about his feelings in sharing the title with Sagicor UWI despite winning six games to the students’ two.
