West Indies Local: CP out front

Coleridge and Parry grabbed three crucial Alexandra wickets to put themselves in an excellent position to take first innings honours and capture the 1999 BET Under-15 Schools cricket title.

After amassing an imposing first innings total of 333, Coleridge and Parry reduced their St. Peter neighbours to 28 for three in reply at the end of the second day of the replayed final at the BET grounds yesterday.

Fast bowler Bayo Smith, who made an attractive 33 in Coleridge and Parry's mammoth total, climaxed a fine day by capturing the wickets of opener Jamal Smith (3) and Alexandra's captain Kirk Edwards (1) for just eight runs in six overs.

Two titles

Already with two BET titles in 1986 and 1991, a confident Coleridge and Parry captain Prince Parris said he was certain they would go on to take first innings lead, which would assure them of the title if the game was drawn.

I think that we will take home the Cup. After this (yesterday's) performance, I am confident that we will bowl them out under our score. Our guys batted really well and we had some good scores, Parris said.

His opposite number Edwards believed the Alexandra players were too complacent.

I thought that the guys were a little bit complacent. We did not apply ourselves like the last time, thinking that we were on top already, Edwards said.

When play resumed yesterday with Coleridge and Parry on 179 for five, they again batted with discipline and determination to post a challenging total.

Opener Renaldo Parris, who started on 57 with his sights on a century after batting the entire opening day, fell well short of the coveted landmark when he was run out for 70 with the total on 209 for six.

However, the tall Antonio Greaves, who made 48 off 153 balls, and allrounder Bayo Smith then featured in a seventh-wicket stand of 68 runs, carrying the total to 275 for six at tea.

Greaves, who survived a chance at 29 when seamer Kirk Broomes missed a return catch, was bowled by Barrington Yearwood with the first ball after the interval.

Andre Holder followed five runs later when he was trapped legbefore-wicket for three by medium pacer Carlos Stanford, who also bowled Smith at 295 for nine.

However, Alexandra were frustrated by a last-wicket stand of 38 runs in 40 minutes by tailenders Derwin Worrell (14) and Damien Hinds (16 not out) which saw the total well past the 300-mark.

Buoyed by their defiant lower-order batting, the CP lads did not have to wait long for success when Alexandra started their reply.

Opener Jamal Smith fell in the fifth over when he shuffled across his stumps and was adjudged leg-before-wicket to Bayo Smith for three.

Smith struck again in his next over when he got the important wicket of Edwards, who chased a wide delivery and edged a catch to wicket-keeper Shane Ramsay.

In the very next over, there was more celebration for Coleridge and Parry when Jason Worrell was snapped up at forward short-leg by Mario Burnett off Worrell for one.

This left Alexandra with the daunting task of batting the entire final day today to salvage a draw and share the title.