Boscobel retain their hotel crown (27 August 1999)

27 August 1999

Boscobel retain their hotel crown

Fitzroy Prendergast

A superb all-round performance from the in-form Christopher Gayle enabled defending champions Boscobel to retain their John Issa SuperClubs hotel cricket title, beating Club Caribbean by six wickets in the final at Content Gardens yesterday.

Scores: Club Caribbean 164 all out off 35 overs (Fredrick Redwood 46, Adrian Byfield 28, Marcus Clarke 22; Gayle 4-19, Dervin Morand 4-28), Boscobel 167 for 4 off 31 overs.

Gayle, who had earlier initiated the collapse of Club Caribbean with a four-wicket haul after they had won the toss and elected to bat, played some exquisite offside shots to score a breezy 43 off only 39 balls. He shared in an unbroken fifth-wicket stand of 73 with Ralston Samuels (29 not out) to rescue Boscobel from 94-4 and reach their target without further loss.

Earlier, Club Caribbean squandered a good start to their innings to be bundled out for a disappointing total. After an electrifying start by openers Clarke and Byfield which yielded 35 runs in only four overs, of which Clarke got 24; 22 of which came in one over off the hapless Valentine McKenzie. Clarke was well caught by Oniel Russell in the covers and Club Caribbean slowly lost their way despite the an aggressive innings from former national player Fredrick Redwood.

Redwood, who came in at the fall of Clarke's wicket, hammered eight fours and a huge six over long-on for a 35-ball 46 before Gayle brought about his demise. Gayle induced him to drive toward mid-off where Morand took a brilliant catch at 114-3.

The lanky Lucas player then clean bowled Orville Penant for 0, one run later. He then had Lincoln Edwards caught on the long off boundary by Clive Secard for three and then ended Club Caribbean's innings when he clean bowled last man Ryan Cunningham for 0 to make sure that the first-time finalists did not get a big total.

Source :: The Jamaica Gleaner (https://www.jamaica-gleaner.com/)