Arnos Vale, St. Vincent – August 21, 2017 – Veteran offspinner Dyke Cato fittingly picked up the last wicket and his fifth of the inning when he bowled Victors #1 tailender Nurlon Williams at 4.23pm on Sunday August 20th 2017 at the Sion Hill Playing Field to help FLOW Radcliffe to back to back NLA Premier Division titles.
They achieved this after trouncing Victors #1 by an inning and 89 runs to collect full points and with it the title on what was the last day of the competition but the outcome could have been different were it not for a mystifying decision by the Victors #1 players.
Victors #1 who were asked to follow on 184 runs in arrears were dismissed for 95, as Cato bowling with a painful knee and dodgy shoulder ended with 5/18 with yet another “all for the team performance” and in what reports say may have been his final match. Miles Bascombe made 44 for Victors, thus falling three runs short of becoming the tournament’s top rungetter.
Victors #1 were dismissed for 80 in their first innings after FLOW Radcliffe had declared 264/3. Miles Bascombe made 42 for Victors, while Lindon James 3/9 and Othneil Lewis 3/41 shared the wickets for Radcliffe.
Radcliffe upon winning the toss, despite a heavy outfield batted themselves into a powerful position by the close at 191/3. On day two it was more of the same as Wayne Harper and Richie Richards carried their fourth wicket partnership to 138* when the declaration came.
Harper was unbeaten on 104 –his second century of the season- and Richards 70 as the innings closed at 264/3 off 49 overs. Harper struck six fours and three sixes while Richards hammered six fours and six sixes.
Bascombe took 2/87 from 14 overs.
After the merciless display by their batters the Radcliffe bowlers then sealed the issue in fine style as the team picked up 22 points to go 152 and leapfrog Police #2 after they had gone into the match third in the standings behind Police #2 and Team Rivals (142).
