THE NAME of Bayley’s captain Shaquan Belle and the sound of stumps being shattered are probably still ringing in the ears of the Reynold Weekes’ batsmen.
Belle rang loudly at the Empire Club, Bank Hall yesterday with a devastating spell of penetrative fast bowling as Bayley’s crushed Reynold Weekes by 84 runs in the all St Philip final of the Guardian General Herman Griffith Primary Schools Cricket Competition to take their second straight title and fifth overall.
After Bayley’s were restricted to 103 for eight in their 25 overs, Belle had the amazing figures of eight for 16 in five overs – all of his victims were bowled – as Reynold Weekes capitulated for a meagre 19 runs in 10.2 overs.
The brave Remere Harewood, who topscored with seven not out after retiring hurt when he was struck a painful blow on his leg by Belle and Rashad Gibson with five, were the only batsmen to score any runs for Reynold Weekes.
Nine batsmen, including captain Micah Greenidge, who entered the game with two centuries, were dismissed for “ducks”.
While the 11-year-old Belle, who hails from Merricks, St Philip, was wrecking havoc from the southern end, Reynaldo Bourne was keeping things quiet at the other. He delivered three maidens and took one wicket for just two runs.
After Belle, whose pace and penetration, was just too much for the Reynold Weekes’ batsmen, completed his five-over allotment with nine wickets down, medium pacer Darien Harewood only needed two balls to seal the victory for Bayley’s, trapping last man Kierry Williams leg before wicket.
“I feel very good. I was always very confident of winning,” said Belle, who also explained their decison to bat first.
“We knew that we could get a score on the board and defend it. My plan was just to bowl at the stumps, and fast,” he noted.
Earlier, only Nicholi Nicholls, who topscored with 19 not out, which included two fours; Belle, 15 and diminutive left-handed opener Damarco Wiggins, 10, reached double digits as Reynold Weekes bowled and fielded superbly, taking all their catches.
After winning the toss and batting, lost opener Dajahree Brathwaite in the first over without scoring and David Callender for five to be in early strife at nine for two.
Belle and Wiggins then added 32 for the third wicket but left-arm fast medium bowler Jakeem Pollard triggered a middle order collapse in which five wickets fell for 27 runs by accounting for both batsmen.
Belle was was brilliantly caught in the covers by his opposite number Greenidge while Wiggins was caught at short midwicket, trying to pull.
Off-spinner Joshua Brathwaite, who had the best figures of three for nine in five overs got rid of Bourne and Makai Clarke as Bayley’s slipped to 68 for seven.
But Nicholls and Akobi Crichlow-Byer added 25 vital runs for the eighth wicket to help Bayley’s past the 100-run mark, as ten runs came off the last over from Greenidge. (EZS)
