Barbados: Police capture Division One Championship (13 December 1998)

13 December 1998

Barbados: Police capture Division One Championship

By Haydn Gill

Amidst emotional celebrations on winning the 1998 Courts/Suzuki Division 1 cricket championship yesterday, Leslie Reifer rated this latest success as the most satisfying of the five titles the lawmen have won in the last 15 years.

It was a fitting farewell to Division 1 cricket for Reifer on a day which was also highlighted by seamer Sylvester Louis' new record for the most wickets in a season.

At 12:55 p.m. the 40-year-old station sergeant trapped United Carlton batsman Louis Lynch lbw for his 85th scalp of the season, surpassing the previous mark set by Winston Reid for Sports & Games YMPC in 1995.

Three-and-a half-hours later, the Police team posed for photographers and indulged themselves in sipping champagne, a moment that will long be remembered by Reifer.

"I have had a lot of good memories during the last 20 years, but the victory this year was probably the best out of all the cups we have won," the former Barbados player told SunSport.

"It has brought me a lot of satisfaction. I am very pleased.

"Sometimes I think about going another year, but I think I will stick to my previous decision."

Police, the long-standing front-runners, were all but assured of the championship even before the start of the day.

It was mainly dependent on the progress of Cable & Wireless BET, who needed to perform heroics if they were going to defeat Big B Spartan at Queen's Park.

As the Park match meandered to a draw, it became clear that Police were on the way to their ninth Division 1 title since their entry into the competition in 1918.

There was little interest on the field of play with the exception of Louis' record.

He needed one wicket and it took him 25 minutes. On reaching the landmark, he looked to the heavens and raised his hands several times.

"The feeling is great. My daughter is eight years old and she recognised it and she mentioned it to me first thing this morning," Louis said.

He picked up two more wickets to end the innings with eight for 50 as Police secured first innings lead by 23 runs.

Carlton, resuming on 67 for six replying to 125 for eight declared, were all for 102 just after 2 p.m.

Police closed their second innings on 95 for six.

Police finished with 73 points, six more than BET in a season in which the lawmen played only four of their 13 matches at home.

BIG B Spartan batted all day to frustrate BET and deny them the chance to press for an outright win yesterday.

In a desperate bid for full points, BET declared at their overweek 40 for three, conceding first innings lead by 113 runs.

The ploy failed woefully as Spartan enjoyed good batting conditions to reach 188 for four when play was abandoned at 4:50 p.m.

Source :: The Barbados Nation (https://www.nationnews.com/)