West Indies Local Cricket: CP make solid start

Diminutive opener Renaldo Parris batted the entire day for an unbeaten 57 to put Coleridge and Parry in a good position against Alexandra on the opening day of the replayed Cable & Wireless BET Under-15 cricket final yesterday.

At the close, Coleridge and Parry, who were sent in to bat on an easy-paced pitch and well-cut outfield in sunny conditions, were 179 for five in 77 overs.

Parris, a slim 13-year-old from Heywoods Park, St. Peter, outshone his elder brother and team captain Prince Parris, who made 25, as he stood firm for all 278 minutes of the day's play.

My coach told me that I had to bat all three days so I decided to listen to his words and bat the whole day. I am now looking to score my hundred, he said.

It was a very good batting pitch, he added.

Parris struck five fours off the 218 balls he faced and had only one real blemish. He was mis-stumped just after tea by wicketkeeper Jamal Smith off seamer Kirk Broomes, the most successful bowler with three for 38 off 22 overs.

It was a day of mixed fortunes for Smith, who brought off a smart leg-side stumping off Broomes to account for left-handed opener Omar Phillips (11) after he had added 31 for the first wicket with the younger Parris.

The Parris brothers then featured in an enterprising secondwicket stand of 38 with Prince, a national Under-15 player, making a breezy 25 off 45 balls.

The stylish Prince had already found the boundary four times in a fluent knock when he hit across a full-toss from opposing captain Kirk Edwards, missed and was bowled.

Mario Burnett joined the solid Renaldo Phillips and they saw the hundred posted in 103 minutes off 24.5 overs.

They were parted when Burnett pulled a short delivery from medium-pacer Carlos Stanford straight into the lap of Kori Connell at short mid-wicket.

Coleridge and Parry went to tea at 112 for three from 33 overs but, on resumption, were unable to maintain their brisk scoring and added only 67 runs in 44 overs.

Renaldo Parris and wicket-keeper Shane Ramsay batted solidly in a fourth-wicket stand of 59 runs before Broomes returned for his third spell of the day and parted them, raising Alexandra's hopes of dismissing their opponents for fewer than 250.

Ramsay was trapped leg-before-wicket for 24 off 103 balls after batting for a shade over two hours, while Broomes had Ryan Thorpe caught and bowled for one off a slow full toss.

However, Renaldo remained until stumps were drawn and is probably already thinking of a century when play continues today.