LeVaughn Flynn, Staff Reporter
Melbourne's Courtney Walsh Jr bowls during the Super League cricket match against St Catherine Saints at Melbourne Oval yesterday. - Junior Dowie/Staff Photographer
St Catherine Saints secured the inaugural Jamaica Super League Cup and the $1 million prize money yesterday, with a round of cricket still left, after nabbing first innings points from hosts Melbourne.
After putting up an imposing 465 in their first innings then skittling out the opposition for 136, St Catherine ensured Dean Morgan (116) and Shacoya Thomas (101) both reached their centuries before retiring to the pavilion on 244-3. Courtney Walsh Jr took 3-11.
The three points earned from the drawn match carries St Catherine to an unassailable 25 points, with the final round of matches to be played next weekend.
St Catherine captain Tamar Lambert praised the resilience and unity of his team.
"The players respect each other and they play for each other," said Lambert.
"The team spirit was good and the management staff has done a tremendous job."
Battle for second place
Melbourne, on 19 points, will now have to battle for second place next week when they host Manchester, who have 17 points.
Danza Hyatt's 116, which included five sixes and 11 fours, set the tone for St Catherine on Saturday. Yannick Elliot (3-52), Donovan Pagon (2-52) and Courtney Walsh Jr (2-49) were the chief wicket takers.
Melbourne offered little challenge in their reply, thanks mainly to Gavin Wallace who took 6-19. Bevon Brown nabbed two wickets in the last over to finish with 2-41.
Lambert said from the outset his team had a winning mentality.
"After they won the toss and decided to send us in, we knew we just had to go out there and bat properly," he said. "And to score 465 we knew we had some runs on the board so then we just wanted to put Melbourne under some pressure and we got some early wickets and Gavin Wallace put the ball in the right areas and picked up six wickets."
The Super League champs will host St Elizabeth next week at Chedwin Park, in the final match, and Lambert added that this could be a proving ground for the youngsters in the squad.
"We're hoping we can give some youngsters the opportunity to go out there and showcase their skill because we have a lot of talent at St Catherine Cricket Club."
JDF defeated
At Trelawny, the host team beat the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) by an innings and 57 runs. After limiting JDF to 162 in the first innings, Trelawny, led by Floyd Reifer's 170, scored 300, then bowled out JDF for 81. Kemar Allen took 4-16 and Oral Rankine 3-27.
At Sabina Park, Kingston drew their match with Westmoreland. Kingston made 250 with Marvin Darlington (68), Simon Jackson (59) and Jowayne Robinson (55) leading the attack. Adrian Thompson (5-82) and Derval Green (4-15) were the pick of the bowlers for Westmoreland.
The visitors then managed 123 with Andre Fletcher putting up a top score of 47. Nehemiah Perry (5-29) and Fabian Forbes (2-11) led the attack. Kingston then enforced the follow-on and Westmoreland were 168-5 at the close of play, with Derval Green making 61 and Adrian Thompson 38 not out.
