St Michael get the edge on Day 1

Thirteen wickets fell on the opening day of the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Schools’ final recently, with Armstrong Agencies Lasco Icool The St Michael School (SMS) gaining the upper hand against Queen’s College at the Briar Hall Cricket Ground.

After dismissing Queen’s College for 98, SMS closed the day on 94 for three, just four runs adrift of their opponents’ first-innings total. Amari Wickham and Davon Clarke were unbeaten at the close on 33 and eight, respectively.

Having won the toss, SMS made early inroads with the ball before their batting effort was anchored by a 52 run partnership between opener Zaari Carter and Wickham. Their stand steadied SMS after they were 34 for two when captain Micaiah Brathwaite was dismissed in the 14th over.

The left-handed Wickham accelerated the scoring with four well-struck boundaries through mid-on and square of the wicket, as well as a six over the vacant square-leg boundary.

With the pair seemingly on course to erase the deficit, however, Carter was tempted into an attempted cover drive and edged behind to Queen’s College captain and wicketkeeper Madison Maxwell off the bowling of Michael Bend.

Carter’s dismissal ended a promising partnership and left SMS on 86 for three.

Earlier, opener Najae Grogan had fallen for five after edging mediumpacer Joshua Bend behind, bringing Brathwaite to the crease with the score on 17 for one after six overs. The captain added just six before being comfortably stumped off Jte McConney-Bovell.

Earlier, Queen’s College endured difficult batting conditions on a slow surface, with SMS medium-pacer Clarke producing a match-defining spell. He finished with six wickets for 30 runs from 11.2 overs as Queen’s College struggled to build momentum after being reduced to four for two.

Clarke struck early by bowling Joshua Bend before a sharp catch at gully from Dhaniram Dharamdeo accounted for the well-set Ben Shepherd, who had made 28.

Shaka Alleyne provided some resistance with 19, but Clarke breached his defence before returning to clean up the tail. He dismissed Michael Byer for 10, caught and bowled, before Omario Vaughan was caught in the outfield for seven. McConney-Bovell was also caught in the outfield without scoring to complete Clarke’s six-wicket haul.

Spinners Carter and Dharamdeo claimed three wickets between them, while seamer Brathwaite chipped in with one as Queen’s College were bowled out in 30.2 overs.

The match continues next Saturday before concluding on Sunday before concluding on August 16.

caption: Mikhail Raj Kumar of Queen’s College is bowled by St Michael’s Micaiah Brathwaite. (Picture by Kenmore Bynoe.)

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