THE RACE is still very close, with 12 points separating the top seven teams, ahead of today’s opening day of the ninth series of matches in the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) LIME Division 1 championship at noon.
Super Centre Spartan and Sagicor UWI are both out front with 75 points but Spartan have three wins and UWI one.
They are followed by TeleBarbados Carlton on 74 points, CGI Maple 73, LIME 72, BNB St Catherine 66 and ICBL Empire 63. All of these teams are the contenders for the title.
In the bottom half of the table, the teams will be striving to avoid demotion, as the points spread is very close.
YMPC (58), Wanderers and Banks (both on 53), all seem to be in slightly safer waters than Pickwick (48), Police (43) and Old Brigand Dover who are rock-bottom on 30 points.
Riveting
Guardian General Barbados Youth, who are exempted from demotion, are on 40 points.
Empire and arch-rivals Spartan will meet at Bank Hall in what is traditionally called the local “derby” but this encounter has lost some of its appeal over the years. Empire have gotten the better of Spartan in all forms of the game over the recent seasons.
However, both sides boast of several Barbados players and it should be a riveting contest.
At Bayfield, St Catherine and Carlton will clash in what could be a high-scoring affair on what has become a placid pitch.
St Catherine captain Kenroy Williams is the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 645 runs, including three centuries, which is the most, at an average of 71.66. He has also collected 28 wickets with his under-rated off-spin.
UWI will oppose Dover at the 3Ws Oval and the hosts must be fancying their chances of claiming the maximum 16 points and pulling away from the pack. They boast the competition’s leading bowler in Ryan Austin who has bagged 45 wickets at 14.91 each with his off-spin.
Lost time
Police will entertain Maple at Weymouth. The weather has been very unkind to the lawmen and they have lost much playing time at their home ground.
Maple will be bolstered by the inclusion of all-rounder Jamar Griffith, recently back from a professional contract in the English Leagues. He returns to his former club after a couple of seasons with the now demoted Bristol.
LIME and the struggling Pickwick will clash at Foursquare Oval. Pickwick’s defeat to Spartan in the last round was their third of the season.
At Dayrells Road, Wanderers will come up against YMPC in a mid-table clash. It is a very critical game for both sides whose batting have generally been weak in terms of getting batting points.
At the Brewery, Banks and Barbados Youth will be engaged in what should be an interesting encounter. Banks, who are winless, have suffered three defeats.
Standings
Spartan 75, UWI 75, Carlton 74, Maple 73, LIME 72, St Catherine 66, Empire 63, YMPC 58, Banks 53, Wanderers 53, Pickwick 48, Police 43, Barbados Youth 40, Dover 30.
