INCE TRANSPORT MTW will be hunting the coveted lower division double when they play Sagicor UWI in the Barbados Cricket Association’s four-day Intermediate final at Kensington Oval, starting today.
MTW, captained by Curtis “Baldy” Greene, got their first trophy last year when they won the Sagicor Shield, defeating PHD St John Cultural in the final.
They easily defeated Earthworks Melrose by six wickets while UWI triumphed over Diamondshire by 25 runs in two low-scoring semi-finals, and with the final now at “The Mecca”, the batsmen will be licking their chops.
UWI, led by heavy-set left-handed batsman Nicholas Brathwaite, will also be seeking to emulate their Division 1 teammates, who shared the title with Super Centre Spartan after winning it alone in 2009.
It will be the first Intermediate final for UWI and what makes the occasion even more special is that Cave Hill Campus principal Sir Hilary Beckles, an outstanding all-rounder in his heyday, will be playing.
“It is an historic and major achievement for the university, reaching its first final at this level and winning the trophy would be a grand effort,” said UWI manager Aundre Wharton.
“We know that MTW have been a major force in the Intermediate ranks for the past five to six years but we know they can be beaten, so there’s no reason why we should go in there fearful of them,” he added.
His opposite number, Winston Coppin, is confident MTW will prevail over UWI.
“The squad has been playing very well and the guys are very committed to practice. We haven’t lost an Intermediate match in eight years and once the guys perform to their best, I don’t see why we shouldn’t win,” Coppin said. “We also feel very honoured to be playing at the Oval.”
MTW will depend heavily on the all-round skills of the lanky Kevin Gittens, who is a solid right-handed batsman and clever off-spinner, while UWI’s talisman is all-rounder Nhamo Winn.
Gittens showed his worth with a knock of 61 and five wickets in the semis, while Winn had scores of 46 and 26 and six wickets.
Old-stager Denis “Pemmy” Payne is still a force at this level with his teasing left-arm spin which earned him six semi-final wickets, while the leg breaks of former LIME all-rounder Junior Holder can never be under-estimated, as evidenced by his three wickets in each innings during the semi-final.
Apart from Gittens and Holder, MTW’s batting will be in the hands of Raymond “Ragga” Kellman, captain Curtis Greene, Ariel Forde and wicket-keeper Jamell Kirton and the Batson brothers, Eric and Justin.
Camara Reece and versatile sportsman Sheldon Roach, who has represented Barbados in both athletics and volleyball, are the fast bowlers.
Winn will be supported by Trinidadian pacers Shervon Penco and Marlon Richards, who rocked Diamondshire with a six-wicket haul. They will be backed up by off-spinning all-rounders Armani Best and Dwight Carter, plus seamers Mario Gill and Michael Alleyne.
Rawdon Bentick, wicket-keeper/batsman Jamal Jordan, Brathwaite, Pierre Rock and Winn will be looking to get among the runs for UWI.
TEAMS
UWI (from) – Nicholas Brathwaite (captain), Mario Gill, Jamal Jordan, Rawdon Bentick, Dwight Carter, Sir Hilary Beckles, Armani Best, Nhamo Winn, Marlon Richards, Michael Alleyne, Shervon Penco, Alvaro Holder, Kaleb Knight, Pierre Rock.
MTW – Curtis Greene (captain), Eric Batson, Justin Batson, Raymond Kellman, Ariel Forde, Kevin Gittens, Junior Holder, Jamell Kirton, Camara Reece, Sheldon Roach, Dennis Payne. Reserves:Clish Gittens, Seon Jacobs, Ramon Clarke.