Kangaroos retain local one-day title

Saturday, November 21, 2009 8:02 AM

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BY ANDREW HANCEL Observer writer

Sunday, November 08, 2009

Melbourne Kangaroos won the domestic 50-over championship for the third straight year after beating Manchester Lions by 34 runs in a low-scoring contest at Chedwin Park yesterday.

Tight bowling led by Man-of-the-Match Yannick Elliott and Nikita Miller saw Melbourne successfully defending their crown after making a modest 159 all out in 40.2 overs.

Manchester batsman Nieve McNally (left) is clean bowled by Melbourne's spinner Nikita Miller (out of picture) while wicketkeeper Carlton Baugh Jnr looks on during the final of the domestic 50-over championship at Chedwin Park yesterday. Melbourne won by 34 runs. (Photo: Garfield Robinson)

Manchester found themselves under pressure after a slow reply and were dismissed for 125 in 45.4 overs.

Teenaged opener Brian Clarke topscored for Manchester with a painstaking 40 from 105 balls, while Donovan Sinclair made 31 from 63 deliveries, as Elliott returned an impressive 3-9 from nine overs. Miller bagged 3-21 from 9.4.

Captain Gary Graham (two) could not repeat his semi-finals heroics and a Melbourne victory was imminent when Courtney Allen (two) and Jamie Merchant (one) went via the run-out route.

Tafari Williams (2-33), the competition's leading wicket-taker, and the economical Damion Jacobs (0-26 from 10 overs) tightened the screws on Manchester, bowling non-stop from the 16th to the 30th over for a miserly 28 runs with Manchester at 73-4.

Sinclair tried to up the tempo with a four and six while sharing in a 53-run stand for the sixth wicket with Clarke before falling at a crucial stage at 109-6.

But Elliott removed Clarke, caught by Williams, before trapping Krishmar Santokie (one) in front.

By then Melbourne smelled victory and moments later wild celebrations erupted on the field when Miller, in his final over, bowled Nieve McNally for two.

Melbourne came out with a plan for Manchester's ace bowler Krishmar Santokie (1-47) by attacking the left-arm medium pacer. But they seemed to have forgot about the other bowlers after being ordered to bat first.

After racing to 60-1, Melbourne were befuddled by left-arm orthodox spinner David Powell and scored only 16 runs from their second powerplay.

"It's a very good feeling... I can't explain this one," said Melbourne skipper Carlton Baugh, Jnr. "We knew the type of bowling we have. When you have a bowler like Nikita Miller and Yannick Elliott we can always gamble with those two, and 20 overs between them were just brilliant."

For Manchester it was an excellent season nonetheless and, according to coach Barry Barnes, the SuperLeague champions had no reason to hang their heads.

Said Barnes: "We faltered in our batting. I think Elliott bowled an excellent spell to bring us back. We have nothing to be ashamed about. We're not one of the more recognised clubs in Jamaica, without any West Indies players, and to play in the three recognised competitions in Jamaica and you are in the finals of two, you have nothing to be ashamed about."

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