Puckerin punishes YMPC

Former Barbados player Livy Puckerin slammed an unbeaten century as Big B Spartan flogged the Caribbean Lumber YMPC attack on a good batting strip.

Puckerin, mixing occasional aggression with solid defense, hit 127 not out and shared an unfinished third-wicket partnership of 198 with opener Wayne Blackman who scored 64 not out.

The powerful Puckerin, still one of Barbados' best players, struck 10 fours and three sixes while batting for just over three hours for his 10th Division 1 century.

Spartan took full advantage of a surprise decision by YMPC to send in the opposition and seemed untroubled by the bowling for most of the day.

Puckerin, at age 31 also the club's veteran keeper, reached triple figures with a dismissive six off the spin of YMPC's captain Willian Lashley that cleared the long-on boundary.

He coasted into the 90s with a string of singles some of them close calls, but then took on the off-spinner when on 99, hitting successive leg-side sixes to rush to 111.

Blackman, also a Barbados player, was joined by Puckerin after young paceman Fidel Edwards sent back Corey Yearwood and Ryan Burke with just 16 runs on the board.

Solid and secure Blackman seemed content to play a supporting role while contributing an important half-century, that included four boundaries, his third in as many innings.

YMPC used seven bowlers in an effort to break the stand but had no answers to the domination of the Spartan batsmen. Edwards finished with two for 31 from his 11 overs.

Light was offered late in the day, a relief for YMPC.