WI local: YMPC only 169 ahead

YMPC 180 & 94-9, Empire 111

For the first two-and-a-half hours, Caribbean Lumber YMPC had ICB Empire on the run yesterday.

For the next two-and-a-half hours, the situation was reversed in an inspired period of fast bowling from Chesterfield Walcott and Marlon Blagrove.

It now sets the stage for an exciting finish to the match with YMPC holding a lead of 169 ahead of the final day.

YMPC might have surprised many by gaining a significant advantage of 69 on first innings, but their collapse in the post-tea session was typical to those of recent seasons.

Their batsmen simply could not cope with the direct, full length Walcott and Blagrove adhered to during the 16 overs they shared with the new ball.

Walcott claimed five wickets, Blagrove three and all but two of their victims were either bowled or lbw.

Walcott, a former Deighton Griffith schoolboy in his second season at Empire, started the damage by removing Leon Layne, Adrian Jones and Roger Coward in his first two overs, while Blagrove sustained Empire's fightback with the wickets of the busy Ian Straughn, captain William Lashley and Adrian Graham.

The fast bowling pair, however, could not dislodge first innings topscorer Jerome Gittens, whose unbeaten 40 contained seven wellexecuted boundaries.

Gittens has played a vital role in extending YMPC's lead. They were 76 for nine when last man Fidel Edwards went to the middle, but he survived for more than half-hour against the spin of Robin Parris and Sherlon Greaves.

Parris (36) and Greaves (25) were the only Empire batsmen who mounted a challenge in the first half of the day. They put on 49 for the fifth wicket after Roland Holder was lbw to Edwards for three.

It was one of two setbacks for Empire in the first half-hour. The other was a blow Shawn Graham sustained to his right thumb from Edwards that forced him to retire hurt.