by Philip Hackett
Medium pacers Harry Hinkson and Gilbert Rock equally split eight wickets to help Yorkshire pull of a thrilling victory over the Barbados Workers Union (BWU) at Foursquare Oval yesterday.
The victory by 23 runs gave Yorkshire the BCA’s division two championship and promotion to the intermediate following a highly competitive final played over three days.
Resuming the final day on 26 without loss chasing 188 to win, BWU folded for 164 just before 5 o’clock. Hinkson, who made most of the early inroads, took four for 24 while Rock undermined the lower order to finish with four for 30. Hinkson orchestrated a collapse in which seven Yorkshire wickets tumbled prior to tea for just 46 runs.
It was a major turnaround from the opening period of play when openers Michael Bramble and Wayne Farley dropped anchor, denying Yorkshire any success until seventy minutes into the day’s play. The pair battled doggedly displaying no obvious concern over the slow rate of scoring, well aware that a drawn contest would give them the title having already secured first innings lead.
They added 40 in 16 overs before the breakthrough came courtesy of Hinkson who trapped Farley lbw for 31 as he prodded forward. Farley’s innings of 31 included three boundaries. He spent 121 minutes at the crease during which time he faced 100 balls. Sixty six for one was quickly converted to 71 for two when Timothy Legall bowled Damien Browne to put BWU under serious pressure. Joseph Bishop the batsman most feared by Yorkshire, joined the obdurate Bramble for what both teams recognised would be a crucial partnership.
It required something special to remove Bishop and it came in the form of a stupendous catch by Kwesi Perry. The tall athletic cricketer sprinted in from long on, dived forward and came up with a stunning catch as the left handed Bishop, Uncle of St. Catherine all-rounder Derek Bishop, tried to launch Hinkson over the boundary.
The effort sparked such joyous celebration in the Yorkshire camp that some observers may have been misled into thinking victory had already been achieved. Bramble was bowled by Hinkson for 31 made in 161 minutes off 127 deliveries. He struck two fours but his dismissal left BWU struggling at 95 for four.
Peter Clarke, another potential threat to Yorkshire lifted off spinner Wilson Walrond into the hands of Legall at long on. Captain Roger Weekes was brilliantly caught at extra cover by the alert Deighton Jackman who dived forward to take a left handed catch just above the ground.
Gilbert Rock, introduced for a second spell to replace Hinkson who had limped off the field with a twisted knee, struck immediately as he won an lbw decision against Merton Clarke to leave BWU 112 for seven at tea. Back to back boundaries by Rohan Gibson in the first over after resumption lifted the spirits in BWU’s camp.
It signalled the start of a fightback led by Rohan Gibson and his Uncle Winston Gibson that frustrated Yorkshire for almost an hour. By the time Winston limped off, lbw to Rock, the eighth wicket stand was worth 40. Rock then removed Carlton Collymore and last man Dario Browne to start celebrations in Yorkshire’s camp. Rohan Gibson remained undefeated on 27.