- Junior DowieVeteran batsman Cleveland Davidson of Westmoreland on the go during his knock of 46 against Kensington yesterday in first day's action of their Rothmans Cricket Championship semi-final game at Kensington Oval.
Melton Williams and Anthony Foster, Staff Reporters
THE ROTHMANS National Cricket Championship semi-final between Kensington, the Surrey Senior Cup runners-up and Cornwall Cup champions Westmoreland enters its final day today at Kensington Oval, with Westmoreland on the verge of advancing to the final.
It is said that cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties, but with all their specialist batsmen gone and only the last recognised pair of David Bernard Jnr and Laurie Williams at the crease, Kensington are in trouble.
When the day ended, the scoreboard read: Westmore-land 201; Kensington 36 for five still 165 runs away from first innings honours. The odds are overwhelmingly in the visitors' favour.
With Kensington parading a good line up it was expected that the 201 scored by Westmoreland in 87 overs would prove a simple task but paceman Evan McInnis changed that thinking with a four-wicket haul.
Before the opening pair could settle down, McInnis removed Carlton Moore and No. 3 batsman Maurice Kepple in his third over to have Kensington in trouble at two for 10.
From that position, Kensington never recovered and slumped to five for 25 runs.
Bowling accurately, McInnis uprooted the leg stump of Moore for five with his first ball of his third over and then had Kepple caught behind by wicketkeeper Cavin Spence without scoring with his final delivery.
McInnis, who finished with four wickets for 16 from nine overs, also claimed the wickets of Samuel Douglas (11) and Julian Royale (one), both clean bowled.
Earlier veteran batsman Cleveland Davidson starred for Westmoreland with 46 runs. He was backed up by opener Dwane Ewart (28), Roal Wynter (26), Dixieth Palmer and Vinard Woolcock (25 each) and Myron Wilson (21).
Paceman Marcus Stewart was Kensington top bowler with four wickets. David Bernard Jnr played the supporting role with three victims and Peter Colquhoun had two wickets.
In the day's other semi-final game at Camp, Surrey winners Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) and St. Catherine CA are locked in a keen battle for first innings honours.
After winning the toss and electing to bat, JDF were dismissed for 194. However, St. Catherine CA were made to struggle and at the close were 148 for eight, still 46 runs behind.
Warren Medwynter (20) and Mel Wint (11) opened the batting for JDF and posted 20. Medwynter was first to go after a breezy knock in which he put all the runs up to that point on the board. Wayne Cuff joined Wint and they took the score to 68 when Wint perished.
Cuff, a Jamaica representative, showed his class as he and Anthony Folkes (27) took their team past the 100 mark in a 66-run stand for the third wicket.
Both batsmen started to look comfortable, but skipper Colin Buchanan, brought himself into the attack and in the end his eight overs proved to be a big bonus for the Middlesex champions.
He first got the wicket of Folkes, bowled playing across the line at 134 before he removed Steve Wallace (seven) and Howard Copeland (eight) and Cuff for a well played 90.
Cuff who mixed aggression with patience faced 144 deliveries in which he struck eight fours and one massive six. Buchanan 4-22, Lascelles Davis 2-35 from 14 overs and Brenton Beckford 2-36 off six took most wickets for St. Catherine CA
St. Catherine CA started badly and were reeling on 65 for six before Brenton Beckford (34) and Buchanan (33) staged a fight back with a 60-run seventh wicket partnership.
Medwynter (3-33), Howard Copeland (2-17) and Paul Brown (2-33) took the wickets for the army men.
