Jones jolts Empire again as Gladiola triumph by 40 runs in first round of Elite division
Bridgetown, Barbados, August 20 – (www.barbadoscricket.org) – Captain and left-arm spinner Matthew Jones snatched another five-wicket haul to spur BWU/Superb Blend Gladiola to a memorable 40-run win against Empire on the third and final day of the rain-ruined opening series in the 2023 BCA Elite division Championship.
Playing on home turf at Rices, the 27-year-old Jones was again a model of flight and accuracy as he took five for 39 off 16 overs for a match haul of 12 for 79 off 33 overs.
It was a match heavily dominated by spin, which accounted for 39 wickets.
After play today started two-and-a-half hours late at 2:30 p.m. because of a couple damp sports on the pitch and areas at the edge of the ‘square’, Empire, resuming on 12 without loss off five overs in pursuit of 142 to win off 50 overs all told, were bowled out for 101 in 32 overs.
The Bank Hall team collapsed sensationally, losing their last nine wickets for 59 runs in 14.1 overs including five for only three runs off 14 balls at one stage.
Jai-Bari Yarde, an opener by nature but batting at No. 5, hit the top-score of 29 off 28 balls in 56 minutes with five fours.
Yarde and Shaquille Cumberbatch, who scored 20 off 28 deliveries, featured in a partnership of 47 in 8.1 overs for the seventh wicket.
Empire reached 20 for one off 12 overs at tea, losing Yekini Miller, run out for 13 from his overnight score of nine, by a direct throw at the striker’s end from wicketkeeper Dakio Worrell, who picked the ball up from short backward-square.
Jason Haynes, the Empire coach and former Barbados captain was playing cautiously in partnership with a more positive Dequan Alleyne before the dismissal of Alleyne led to the sudden slump.
Alleyne was caught on the second attempt at short midwicket by Giovonte Depeiza off off-spinner Michael Agard Jr for 18 off the last ball of the 18th over to make the score 42 for two. It ended a partnership of 24.
Off the second ball of the next over from Jones, left-hander Haynes, in a rare attacking stroke, was caught just inside the midwicket boundary by Jaden Lorde for eight off 40 balls from his overnight score of two.
Next ball, Shakkae Marshall was swiftly stumped.
In the following over, left-hander Kilano Brathwaite, groping, was caught at the wicket off Agard for two and when Renako Harper was leg before wicket for one by Jones off the first ball of the next over, Empire were tottering on 45 for six.
Yarde, who was badly dropped on one at mid-off by Lorde off Jones with the score 52 for six – it was the first ball of the 23rd over – and Cumberbatch were raising hopes of a telling fightback before Yarde was caught at long-on off Jones.
The end came swiftly with the last three wickets tumbling without a run scored.
Captain Camarie Boyce, sweeping, was leg before wicket by Jones for six, and as he did in the first innings, off-spinner Devon “Lexus” Phillips grabbed the last wickets in the same over.
Left-hander Cumberbatch was bowled as he swung at the first delivery and Kobe Williams, defending on the back foot, was leg before wicket for his second “duck” of the match.
Phillips took two for 17 off five overs and Agard, two for 37 off seven overs.
As was the case on the second day, wet conditions prevented play in the other matches – two of them not having a ball sent down at all.
TABLE
Tabulate under: M-matches, W-won, L-lost, T-tied, D-drawn, NR-no result, MPTS-match points minus batting and bowling, BATP-batting points, BOWP-bowling points, TP-total points.
TEAMS M W L T D NR MPTS BATP BOWP TP
Gladiola 1 1 0 0 0 0 12 0 4 16
UWI 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 5
Carlton 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 4 5
Empire 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 4 4
Wildey 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 3 4
BCA Youth 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
Yorkshire 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
Wanderers 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
YMPC 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
Spartan 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1
Series 2 – August 26, September 9 & 10
Wildey v YMPC at SJPIT; Yorkshire v Carlton at Friendship; Wanderers v Gladiola at Dayrells Road; Spartan v BCA Youth at Queen’s Park; UWI v Empire at 3Ws Oval.