THE BATTLE for honours in Group D of the Sandals limited-over national cricket championship heated up yesterday when defending champions Kingston Cricket Club and Kensington recorded comfortable victories.
Kingston, piloted by an undefeated knock of 66 from Raymond Ferguson, gained a nine-wicket win over home team St. Thomas at the Goodyear Oval; while Kensington, who last week lost their opening battle to Kingston, bounced back with a 38-run victory over St. Catherine Parish at Kensington Park to stay in contention for a semi-final place.
Scores in those two interesting games of the 50-over per side competition were: At Goodyear Oval - St. Thomas 108; Kingston CC 109-1. And at Kensington Park - Kensington 210 in 49.2 overs; St. Catherine Parish 172-8 in 49 overs.
Batting first in a game reduced to 30 overs because of rain, St. Thomas found the going very tough as the batsmen failed to cope with Dwayne Budhoo, who returned figures of 3-30 and Kerry Scott, who took 2-24. Calvin Powell top scored for the home team with 25 and was supported by Donovan Spaulding (18) and Christopher Morgan (17).
Kingston made short work of the chase through the hard-hitting Ferguson, who had four sixes and five fours in his unbeaten innings of 66.
Over at Kensington Park; opener Brenton Parchment hit 45 including two fours and a six off 102 balls and David Bernard scored 59 off 71 balls with seven boundaries to lead Kensington to a solid total. But it was captain Robert Haynes who put Kensington in charge with 4-27 from his 10 overs of spin.
Haynes, in his first spell had Peter Pottinger trapped leg before wicket for six and Kirk Gordon caught by Brenton Parchment for 14. He returned later to dismiss middle-order batsman Maurice Cole for 51 - just as the batsman looked destined to put St. Catherine on top - and bowled Lloyd Rattary for two. Cole, whose knock was laced with two fours, two sixes and a five; put on a vital 61-run partnership with Andrew O'Sullivan (22) for the fifth wicket, but after it was broken, they fell to pieces.
