West Indies local: Blagrove puts Empire on top

At Bank Hall Empire (232 & 52-5 dec.) beat Carlton (124 and 123) by 37 runs.

A five-wicket haul by pacer Marlon Blagrove piloted ICB Empire to an impressive victory over United Carlton's young guns.

The win took Empire to 43 points and launched them among the contenders for the Division 1 Cup.

Bowling a steady line and length on a slow, rain-affected pitch, Blagrove wrecked the Carlton second innings as he sent back five batsmen for 39 runs to set-up the victory which was later completed by the leg-spin of captain Sherlon Greaves.

Home team Empire clinched full points in the last hour, under a blanket of heavy cloud, as Carlton's No. 10 Ryan Clarke was stumped by wicket-keeper Ricky Hoyte off the second delivery bowled by Greaves.

Greaves and Hoyte combined to break the resistance of Carlton's lastwicket pair who at times looked capable of defying the odds to force a draw.

Clarke, who scored 21, and fellow seamer Marlon Franklyn (18 not out) put on 36 for the last wicket before Clarke needlessly advanced down the pitch.

Earlier, Empire gave themselves the opportunity to force an outright win as they quickly wrapped up the Carlton first innings after the visitors had resumed on 121 for eight.

They added just three runs as former West Indies pacer Patterson Thompson finished the innings with five for 31.

Veteran opener Mike Inniss then led a search for quick runs in the Empire second innings, hitting a boundary-studded 21 before the declaration came offering Carlton a target of 161.

Carlton's young brigade never really took up the challenge and perished amidst a combination of inept batting, a pitch helpful to bowlers and positive pressure from the opposition.