EMPIRE’S famous ground at Bank Hall was the stage for a sensational tie on first innings yesterday.
Hosts ICBL Empire and Super Centre Spartan dramatically produced a memorable deadlock. Both teams made 202 in the first innings.
By the close, the Parkites had extended their lead to 115 with nine second innings wickets in hand.
Sulieman Benn and Alcindo Holder were the principle actors as the arch-rivals fought tooth-and-nail for first innings advantage.
Benn took seven for 69 with 24 overs of controlled spin, while Holder’s knock of 65 was an example of strong concentration and fighting spirit.
Holder came to the crease with Empire on 97 for four. His captain Jamal Smith (34) and Ryan Hinds (42) had laid the foundation for their assault on Spartan’s total with a second-wicket partnership of 50.
With the regional limited-overs tournament starting next week, Hinds looked in sparkling form before he hit Andrew Layne hard to mid-off.
Holder and veteran Shawn Graham stabilised the innings in a fifth-wicket stand of 67 before Benn took the last six wickets.
Graham (38) counter-attacked the Spartan spin attack before he became the first of Benn’s six-wicket rout.
Empire crashed from the relatively comfortable position of 164 for five to 177 for nine as Benn threatened a complete rout. But in came Michael “Stabby de Guard” Bowen to assist Holder in levelling the scores.
The teams shared two points each for a tie on first innings.
Holder scored every run in their last wicket stand of 25 but could not keep Bowen away from Benn, who dramatically hit the middle stump of the last man with the quickest delivery of the match with the scores level.
In the 26 overs left in the day, Rashidi Boucher (65) and Reydon Toppin (36) shared an unbroken 110-run second innings stand.
