By Tony Becca, Contributing EditorJAMAICA GOLD, represented by David Bernard Jnr. and Brenton Parchment, walked away with the Laurie Williams Trophy and the US$2,000 first prize at Kaiser Sports Club, Discovery Bay, yesterday with a comfortable victory over Jamaica Green in the final of the Jamaica Double Wicket Tournament.
Batting first in the six-over-a-side contest, Jamaica Gold rattled up 50 for one with Parchment hitting 35 and Bernard 12 not out and then routed Jamaica Green - represented by Gareth Breese and Lorenzo Ingram - for 12 in 4.2 overs with Parchment, bowling offspin, picking up three wickets for seven runs in 2.2 overs.
ALLOWED TWO DISMISSALS
According to the rules of the competition, each batsman was allowed two dismissals with the team losing 10 runs for the loss of each wicket after the first dismissal of each batsman.
Unlike Jamaica Gold who lost their only wicket to the last delivery of the innings when Parchment swung at Breese and was bowled, Jamaica Green, batting in fading light, lost Ingram twice - caught at wide long-off
off Parchment and bowled by Parchment, and Breese two times - bowled by Bernard and caught at long-off off Parchment.
The wickets fell at 21 for one, at 24 for two, at 32 for three - which was reduced to 22 for three, and at 22 for four - which was reduced to 12 for four.
Jamaica Gold, who lost to Barbados in last year's semi-finals, won a place in the final after scoring 57 for one in the semi-finals and restricting Barbados, represented by Antonio Mayers and Alcindo Holder to 47 for two.
Mayers was dismissed twice - the second time at 38 for two, which was reduced to 28 for two.
Jamaica Green made it to the semi-finals after scoring 34 for two and dismissing Jamaica Masters, represented by Nehemiah Perry and Cleveland Davidson, for three after both Perry and Davidson were dismissed twice.
HIGHLIGHT
Highlight of the day's action was a thrilling innings of 50 not out by Holder in the semi-finals.
In the highest individual innings of the tournament, the Barbadian, who earlier slammed three sixes in the second round match against Melbourne, hit three sixes - including one off the last delivery of the innings bowled by Breese.
Holder's tally of eight sixes in the tournament was bettered only by Parchment who, like Holder, hit five in the first and second rounds, three in the semi-finals and one in the final - a lovely shot over mid-wicket off Breese.
Jamaica Green collected US$1,000 for second place while Jamaica Masters and Barbados each received US$500 as losing semi-finalists.
The individual prizes of US$100 each for performances in the preliminary round were as follows: Most runs - 101, Parchment; most wickets - five, Howard Powell of Jamaica Youths; most sixes - five, Parchment and Holder; best wicketkeeper - Mel Wint; most catches - three, Marlon Johnson and Alvin Barnett; best fielder - George Adams; and best catch - Adams.
Double wicket report - courtesy of Breezes Hotel, Runaway Bay.
