WI local: Reid takes eight

It was another full day at the office for veteran left-arm spinner Winston Reid yesterday. On the first day of eighth round Courts/Suzuki Division 1 matches, Reid spun a web around the BNB St. Catherine batsmen en route to an eight-wicket haul which put his season's tally to an amazing 56 wickets.

His haul at Bayfield restricted St. Catherine to 178 and by the close front-runners Banks had lost one wicket for 13.

Reid, who took eight for 52 off 25.1 overs, shared the spotlight with 18-year-old wicket-keeper/batsman Patrick Browne, who fashioned an attractive 67 off 99 balls.

Browne, whose fluent innings was embellished with seven fours, held the St. Catherine side together. He scored two-thirds of the runs compiled while he was at the crease.

The Red Stripe Bowl hopeful was a joy to catch cutting, driving and working the ball off his legs against the wily Reid, who tossed his left-arm spin with alarming accuracy.

Reid started his wicket-taking in his second over when he won a lbw verdict against make-shift opener Dayne Maynard.

He had the other opener, Jason Jordan, caught off bat and pad and made a double-strike in his ninth over when Shawn Sargeant holed out to mid-off for 26 and Horace Waldron was bowled off the inside-egde to his first ball.

After a fifth-wicket stand of 49 between Browne and Dale Mason, Reid, who had taken the first seven wickets, got support from leg-spinner Terry Rollock.

In an action-packed match at Weymouth, two-time defending champions Stansfeld Scott Police secured first innings lead against Big B Spartan on a day in which 20 wickets fell.

Spartan were dismissed for 78 with Alvin Campbell grabbing a fivewicket haul.

Police were bowled out for 81 just before the close.

Down at St. James Secondary, ESA Field left-hander George Harris became the first batsman to post 500 runs for the season.