- Michael SloleySurrey A's Keith Hibbert drives through the onside during his innings of 76 against Surrey B in their County Cricket Championship game at Chedwin Park yesterday.
RAIN played havoc with the final round of the Jamaica County Cricket Championships, curtailing play at Chedwin Park and Nelson Oval, where leaders Surrey A and second-placed Melbourne are seeking vital points in a bid to secure championships honours.
At Chedwin Park, more than two hours of play was lost but the table leaders were still able to post a reasonable score of 159-5 before bad light stopped play.
The in-form Keith Hibbert hit 76 and Wayne Cuff scored 34 to be Surrey A's top scorers.
Of the two teams in contention for the title, Melbourne was hardest hit by the weather.
After completely destroying the Lucas batting by dismissing them for only 93 runs, the Derrymore Road team, racing to get first innings points, reached 53-3 when the rain came.
Earlier, Lucas won the toss and elected to bat but could not cope with the spin of Barbadian Winston Reid who grabbed six wickets for 25 runs in 18 tight overs.
Lucas lost their first wicket with the first delivery of the second over when Ian Dewar was beaten and bowled for nought by Reid without a run on the board.
One run later, Kevin Riley was trapped leg before by Reid for one at 1-2.
It became 1-3 in the third over when Royan Smith was also given out leg before for nought to Ray Stewart.
Wayne Gayle and captain Andre Coley added 27 runs for the fourth wicket before Gayle was trapped in front by medium pacer Donovan Samuels after making 15.
Coley, who top scored with 39, was the next to go, well caught and bowled by left-arm spinner Dwayne Coopers.
The procession of Lucas batsmen continued back to the dressing room thereafter as Rayn Wellington (three), Dwayne Crossgill (three), Howard Hamilton (nought), Gary Herbine (nought) and Ashuman Kentish (nought) all fell cheaply as the host folded shortly after lunch.
In reply, Melbourne lost their first wicket with the score on 36 when Aubrey Wollaston was run out by Royan Smith courtesy of an excellent throw from cover point after scoring only two. Five runs later the attacking Kevin Baugh was well caught and bowled by pacer Kentish.
Left-arm spinner Omar Burke trapped Donald Bennett leg before for five at 44-3 but captain Robert Samuels (seven), who opened his account with a huge six off Burke, and Donovan Pagon (five) were unbeaten when the downpour forced the players off the field for the day.
