West Indies Local: Schools North winners by five wickets

BET (229 and 114-1 dec) lost to Schools North (160 and 184-5) by five wickets.

Left-Handed all-rounder Sadiq Hill (80) and captain Jason Parris (59) inspired CHIC Schools North to a dramatic five-wicket victory, with three balls to spare, over Cable & Wireless BET yesterday.

The pair added 117 in a crucial second-wicket partnership after BET had set the schoolboys 184 to win in a minimum of 47 overs.

After the groundwork was laid, the middle and lower order were left to add the finishing touches.

Requiring four off the final two overs the youngsters were only able to collect a single off the penultimate over bowled by tidy off-spinner Anthony Morris, who conceded only 35 from his 13 overs.

Morris won an lbw appeal against Rohan Nurse off the first ball of the over as the batsman tried to sweep.

Marlon Clarke marched to the crease with four needed off 11 balls but only managed to squeeze out the single.

Run out

Kevin Marshall was run out off the first ball of the final over bowled by Antonio Mayers.

Wicketkeeper Brian Johnson, who had earlier taken a brilliant catch to remove Parris, just failed to haul in an outside edge from Reunel Agard as the batsmen went through for a single and then Clarke scored the winning runs off a leading edge over cover.

But the hard work had been done by Parris and Hill.

Parris was disciplined and defiant, Hill positive and at times elegant.

Hill reached his 50 in 97 minutes with a six and five fours. By the time he was caught at short mid-wicket off Morris he had batted for 145 minutes, during which time he struck two sixes and eight fours.

Hill has now had scores of 50, 0, 0, 0 and 80 in his three matches at the Division 1 level.

Short and stockily built, he excited the small crowd with his exquisite driving, particularly through the off side.

One of his most memorable and certainly most powerful strokes though was a straight six off Adrian Brathwaite which was still on the way up as it headed towards the car park.

Parris batted for 168 minutes and struck one six and four fours.

I think it was a very disciplined performance from the guys, Parris told SUNSPORT after the match.

The guys stuck together and played well throughout. We were watching the scoring rate and looking to see if we were on target, he said.

Earlier BET had scored 114 for one off ten overs, led by a breezy 53 by Ron Bates. He batted for 44 minutes during which time he struck four sixes and two fours