- Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
Jamaica Defence Force's middle-order batsman Anthony Folkes hits through the offside while St. Elizabeth's wicketkeeper Shane Powell reacts during their Jamaica Cricket Association opening day Super League match at Up Park Camp yesterday.
Anthony Foster, Freelance Writer
JAMAICA DEFENCE Force (JDF), paced by a 113-run seventh-wicket stand between Anthony Folkes and Howard Copeland, secured first innings points against St. Elizabeth on yesterday's first day of their opening round Jamaica Cricket Association (JCA) Super League match at Up Park Camp yesterday.
Replying to St. Elizabeth's 98, Folkes struck 90 and Copeland 53 to lead their team 282 for eight at the close.
Folkes, who came in at number five and was joined 14 runs later by Copeland with JDF reeling on 137 for six, took control against an indisciplined St. Elizabeth bowling attack.
This after Damion Grey, 46, Steve Wallace, eight, Wayne Cuff, four, gave Shawn Findlay catching practice at first slip. Mel Wint, nine, Marlon Kennedy, 14, and Mark Grey, nine, all went to pacer Ainsley Goss (3-45) and leg-spinner Alton Beckford (4-45), at that stage St. Elizabeth were back in the game.
However, Folkes and Copeland had other ideas and went about repairing the earlier damage with an array of fine strokes. When both batsmen started to look comfortable though, Findlay at first slip pulled off a very good catch to dismiss Copeland, who batted for 96 minutes and hit nine fours.
However, that did not seem to affect the rhythm of Folkes batting, at least for another 20 minutes.
In an attempt to bring up his century in style though, Folkes provided Gordon with an easy catch at short mid-wicket. In his over two-and-a-half-hour stay at the crease, Folkes struck nine boundaries from 135 deliveries.
"At the start things were a bit difficult," Folkes said. "I was comfortable against all the bowlers but at times I had things difficult against the leg-spinner (Beckford)," he added.
Earlier St. Elizabeth, sent to take first strike were blown away by fast bowlers Warren Medwinter, five for 24, Kamal Dennis, three for 38, and Copeland two for 23.
Davian Davidson, 32, Shane Powell, 24, were the only batsmen to reach double figures.
"We batted poorly," St. Elizabeth's coach Junior Bennett said. "Most of the batsmen played too many shots without assessing what the pitch was doing.
"We are really facing an uphill task right now. The batters will have to come tomorrow and bat right through the entire day."
