Police go clear as rivals stumble
League on Sunday as their closest challengers, Watford Sports Club and Lucozade Leg Trappers, both lost on a day when all four victories were sewn up before heavy rain swept across the Island.
Police romped to a 10-wicket win over bottom club North Village at Wellington Oval to stretch their lead to 131 points over a depleted Watford Sports Club, who went down at home to West Indian Association, while nine-man Lucozade came unstuck against resurgent Jamaican Association at Shelly Bay.
Forties also moved into contention with a seven-wicket win over West End Warriors at Garrison Field, skipper Gordon Campbell setting up the victory with a six-wicket haul.
Openers Chris Graham-Ward (42 not out) and Roosevelt Maronie (22 not out) knocked off the runs in only 10 overs after Police bundled opponents North Village out for 69, their last five wickets tumbling for the addition of just seven runs.
Maronie brought a swift end to the proceedings, smashing four fours off Ernest Trott's final over of a game in which both sides played one short.
Andy McCulloch, who grabbed three for 17 and skipper Grant Tomkins, with two for 16, undermined Village whose number four batsman Haile Melakot scored almost half the total with a six and four fours in his 32.
All-rounder David Gibbs hammered three sixes and three fours in an unbeaten 45 to steer Jamaican Association to a six-wicket win -- their third in succession after starting the season with three defeats -- over Lucozade in the 24th over at Shelly Bay.
Mark Finnigan topscored with 38 as Lucozade were dismissed in the 33rd over for 104, Gibbs, Mike Young and George Fisher taking two wickets apiece.
Lucozade skipper Graham Strange said his side were unhappy with some of the umpiring decisions which went against them but conceded: "At the end of the day we didn't score enough runs.'' Jerry Callender and Randy Liverpool shared the wickets for West Indian Association who were made to fight hard for a three-wicket victory over Watford whose last six batsmen all failed to score.
Watford, missing five key players who were away on an annual golf trip to the United States, were bowled out for 128 in the 34th over as Liverpool bagged five for 19 in eight overs and Callender five for 34 from 13 overs.
Opener Blake West topscored with a six and seven fours in his 46, his son Jim made 23 and Troy Berkeley 20 as Watford were forced to include several schoolboys to make up the 11.
National soccer coach Clyde Best, who hit a half century in his previous game, made 13 and then took one for 10 but couldn't stop WIA easing home in 24 overs.
Barry Richards was high man with 33 while Callender, dropped early, finished unbeaten on 22. Danger man Andy Boyce was run out for 17. The Wests were the pick of the Watford attack, Jim taking three for 51 and Blake two for 51.
Skipper Campbell was forced to call on both his sons, Richard and David, to make up the 11 for Forties who ran out comfortable winners over West End Warriors.
Warriors, who elected to bat, slumped to four for four but Stephen Simmons (16), Ronald Gibbons (32) and Clevie Richardson, who topscored with 36, led a spirited recovery before Campbell, finishing with six for 27, returned to polish off the tail as the West Enders were dismissed in the 31st over for 117. Andrew Paynter took two for 41.
Forties raced home in 26 overs, Gerald Simons completing the victory with a four and six with Peter Borland unbeaten on 28 after Gary Edwards (24) and Ivan Clifford (28) added 41 for the first wicket.
Warriors' cause was not helped by Jeremiah Burrows, who came on as a substitute fielder for Simmons and later walked off after hurling a stream of abuse at skipper Gladstone Eve.
"This is the third time this has happened and I'm going to suspend him for three matches,'' said Eve last night.