Miscellaneous

‘Patto' rocks Spartan

When Patterson Thompson is having a bad day, he can be terrible

Haydn Gill
03-Sep-2000
Spartan 104, Empire 21-2
When Patterson Thompson is having a bad day, he can be terrible.
Similarly, when the burly fast bowler is on target, he can be outstandingly devastating.
Yesterday, it was a case of the latter in the local derby between rivals ICB Empire and Big B Spartan.
For six exciting overs, the qualified pilot was in full flight, rolling over five batsmen who were unable to cope with his pace and accuracy.
As a result, Spartan, sent in on a typically grassy pitch that held no signs of terror, swiftly lost their last seven wickets for 27 after securing an encouraging base of 78 for two just after the tea break.
By then, opener Wayne Blackman was well entrenched on a solid 33 that stretched two hours and ten minutes.
Thompson, recalled for a second spell promptly after tea, ended Blackman's innings with a fast, full length delivery that hit the leg stump low down.
Kerry Lucas was another beaten by Thompson's speed and was neither forward nor back when a delivery rushed onto his pads for an obvious lbw verdict.
Blackman and Lucas were sent back in successive balls from Thompson which were interrupted by an over of leg-spin from Sherlon Greaves.
It meant that Thompson was on a hat-trick. It was averted by Sulieman Benn who found himself batting as high as No. 6 .
With Hattian Graham coming a notch higher, it meant that Spartan, without the injured Livy Puckerin and Corey Yearwood, were somewhat short on batting. Their cause was also not helped by the absence of off-spinner Aaron Barker.
Graham fell to a bat-pad catch at forward short-leg and the dismissal of Benn was the most spectacular, the tall left-hander's off stump being uprooted.