A five-wicket haul by left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley helped Sagicor UWI earn full bowling points and first innings lead over ICBL Empire and secure the 2011 LIME Division 1 championship yesterday.
Ottley took five for 19 off 11.5 overs as Empire collapsed to 137 all out replying to UWI’s 387 off 87.2 overs.
Medium-fast swing bowler Marques Clarke did the early damage, removing Jason Parris and Shawn Graham as Empire slumped to 40 for two.
Parris who had lifted Clarke over extra cover for four the previous delivery (boundaries are threes and fours), drove straight into the hands of mid-off where Ottley took the catch.
Graham, who appeared to be in a more adventurous mood than customary, lifted Clarke to midwicket where Ottley hauled in his second catch on the way to contributing to seven Empire dismissals.
Former Barbados and West Indies batsman Roland Holder and opener Kevin King took the home side to tea at 67 for two off 12 overs.
Almost immediately on resumption, Holder was superbly yorked by Khismar Catlin who later limped off the field with cramps.
The loss of Catlin did nothing to ease the pressure on Empire. Raymon Reifer proved expensive as Alcindo Holder counter attacked but leg-spinner Mario Miller gave excellent support to Ottley by picking up Holder and wicketkeeper Dwayne Collymore without scoring.
Holder smashed four fours and four threes in an explosive 39 off 43 balls before missing a drive and being bowled. King, the only other batsman to put up meaningful resistance, had earlier fallen to Ottley, well caught one-handed by Floyd Reifer leaping high at extra cover.
His 38 came off 54 balls in 100 minutes and included six threes and two fours.
