WI local: Empire bats strike back

Rommel Brathwaite's century on his return to BCL and a sterling revival by joint-leaders ICB Empire against title-holders Stansfeld Scott Police were the highlights on the second day of third round matches in the Courts/Suzuki Division 1 championship yesterday. At Weymouth `A' (Police 193, Empire 190-7): Shawn Graham and Sherlon Greaves engineered a major fightback which pulled Empire from almost total hopelessness and put them within sight of first innings lead against Police.

The pair put together a disciplined seventh-wicket stand of 117 in 148 minutes to rescue Empire from 39 for six.

Graham was unbeaten at the close on 84 in partnership with Alcindor Holder on 18.

Graham, whose innings so far includes five fours, has been at the crease for 246 minutes during which time he faced 155 deliveries.

The pacy Emmerson Sealy has so far taken three for 45.

At Blenheim `A' (C&W BET 350-5 decl'd, BCL 209-7): Forty-year-old Rommel Brathwaite celebrated his return to BCL with a century against his former club, Cable & Wireless BET.

His brilliant 105 included nine fours and three sixes as the BCL reached a respectable score in reply to BET's massive total.

Brathwaite got assistance from captain Kamal Turney, who struck a defiant 34 before he was run out.

At Beckles Road (YMPC 239, Pickwick 232-5): ESA Field Pickwick, paced by an unbeaten 80 from Vasbert Drakes, and a half-century from Ryan Hinds, were within eight runs of taking first innings honours over Caribbean Lumber YMPC.

Drakes smashed nine threes and two fours in a 97-ball innings, as he and skipper Mike Matthews (39 not out) featured in an unbroken sixthwicket stand of 97 after Hinds fell for 56. Hinds' innings had 11 threes off 96 balls in 131 minutes.

Off-spinner Wendell Coppin took two wickets in successive overs to reduce the visitors to 135 for five, to put the match in the balance. But Drakes and Matthews combined to tilt the scales.

At the Brewery (Banks 306, Maple 85 & 78-6):

Banks' left-arm spin attack of Winston Reid and Anderson Sealy combined to make a Sunday meal of Mount Gay Maple. Reid's 7-43 in the first innings was complemen-ted by Sealy's 2-18.

In the second innings, Reid is wicketless so far but Sealy kept the pressure on by taking three for 38. Kregg Burgess is 34 not out for Maple, who trail by 143 runs.

At St. James Secondary (Schools South 308, Schools North 157-4): Lower-order batsman Ryan Wiggins hit an unbeaten 75 to steer CHIC Schools South to an impressive total of over 300.

Following 62 on Saturday from opener Rohan Thompson, Wiggins carried the attack to the bowlers as he helped Schools South add a further 91 before declaring.

He got able assistance from last man Corey Edwards, who was not out 24.

By the close, Schools South had claimed four of the opposition's wickets with 157 runs on the board.

The Schools North's reply was boosted with fighting half-centuries from opener Corey Clarke (71) and Rohan Nurse, 63 not out.

At Bayfield (St. Catherine 262-8 decl'd, Wanderers 44-2): BNB St. Catherine continued their first innings in the same way they ended the first day.

Resuming on 144 for four, they ambled along for a further 118 runs while losing four more wickets before declaring at 4: 50 p.m.

Jason Jordan, unbeaten on 53 overnight, went on to register his second century at this level.