AN unbeaten century (114) by West Indies left-handed opener, Chris Gayle, put Lucas in a strong position against Boys’ Town on the opening day of the Rothman’s Surrey Senior Cup at Nelson Oval yesterday.

Gayle had two fruitful partnerships with Kevin Riley (74 for the first wicket) and an undefeated 135 with Maurice Clarke (59) for the third.

Gayle’s knock included 10 fours, while Clarke struck nine fours and a six. At stumps, Lucas had already clinched first innings points with 245-2 replying to Boys’ Town’s 177.

Sent in to bat, Boys’ Town, through openers, Alex Ranger and 16-year-old Duran White, in his first match, posted 50 but immediately afterwards, Gayle, in the role of off-spinner, made the breakthrough when he had White caught wicketkeeper, Andre Coley, for 33.

After Marlon Keating was run out for a duck, the slide continued with Omar Anthony Campbell (4) and Dave Legister (8).

Gayle claimed another victim when Oneil Powell accepted a bat/pad catch off Ranger for a topscore of 51 (seven fours and one six) at 105-5.

Boys’ Town never looked like compiling a large total and when the innings folded after lunch, the next best score was Delroy Mendez’s 39.

Lucas’ spinners were the wicket-takers with captain, Gareth Breese, claiming 4-61, Gayle 3-35 and left-armer, Omar Burke, 2-41.

When Lucas replied, Gayle and Riley moved merrily along before the stand was broken on 74 when Riley was dismissed for 40.

Gayle, looking intent on remaining in the middle for a long time, played some clean crisp strokes on both sides of the wicket. He lost the company of Rayon Smith, bowled Sadeck Brown for 19 at 110 for two.

Hutchinson puts Melbourne on course

Off-spinner, Ramon Hutchinson, extracting bounce and turn on a placid wicket, guided Melbourne to an almost impregnable position yesterday with a six-wicket haul against Portland at Derrymore road.

Melbourne at the close of the first day were 125-3 in reply to Portland’s 160, a mere 35 runs from first innings honours.

For Portland only Emelio Reid with 28 and hard-hitting Harlon Haye (27) offered any resistance.

Portland started well but within an hour began to lose wickets at regular intervals. At lunch the score was 104-5. Leftarm spinners Dwayne Cooper (3-25) and Nikita Miller (1-27), then mopped up the innings.

Melbourne, with an opening stand of 46 from veterans, Aubrey Wollaston and Dillion Ebanks, then replied strongly.

Wollaston (29) departed when he attempted an extravagant cover drive. Marlon Samuels followed half an hour later for 16, caught behind off the bowling of Kirk Johnson.

His brother, Robert Samuels, was unbeaten on 12 at the close, but had the gods to thank after he was dropped at second slip early in his innings. Llewellyn Meggs (22) will resume with Samuels this morning.

— JL

Hosts St Catherine CC and JDF are locked in a tense battle for first innings honours as the first day’s play in their match ended yesterday at Chedwin Park.

When bad light stopped play 20 minutes early, JDF were 81-4 off 21 overs replying to 180 all out made by the Saints.

Skipper, Tamar Lambert, and Danza Hyatt with 50 each, added 95 runs for the third wicket in 103 minutes.

Hyatt’s knock came off 84 balls and he struck six boundaries. Lambert was more patient as he occupied the crease for 162 minutes, hitting only one boundary from the 134 deliveries received.

Barrington Bartley Jnr contributed 22 and Odean Brown, 17. Offspinner and captain, Paul Brown, returned 5-60 from 24 overs and left-arm spinner, Richard Muschette, 3-27 from seven.

When the Soldiers replied, Marlon Kennedy went for 21 and Steve Wallace, 11.

Wayne Cuff, who has so far batted for 83 minutes, is 18 not out and Mark Gray, 10 not out. JDF, whose total included five penalty runs, resume this morning at 10:00 still needing 100 runs for first innings points with six wickets in hand. — WP

St Thomas spin-twins restrict ‘Tigers’

St Thomas spinners, Kevin Murray (5-39) and Bryan Murphy (4-72) stymied Surrey champions, Kingston CC’s chances for a big total at Sabina Park yesterday.

Scores: Kingston 287-9 declared, St Thomas 57-2 (Murray not out 20, Murphy 26 not out).

Only three Kingston batsmen passed 40, with opener, Nicholas Austin, topscoring with 94. He shared 102 for the first wicket with Raymond Ferguson (50). Mario Ventura contributed 45.

Nicholas faced 78 balls in his 131-minute stay and hit eight boundaries. Ferguson compiled eight fours and a six off his 47-ball innings which lasted 89 minutes, while Ventura hit four fours in his 184-minute stay.

St Thomas won the toss and gave it away as the home team dominated morning and post lunch sessions with scores of 134-1 at lunch and 237-4 at tea.

After tea Murphy and Murray, who bowled unchanged, picked up from where they left off and only a spirited 28 from Sadique Phillips with three chances held Kingston’s batting together for an additional 50 runs while losing five wickets.

Murray got his wickets from 10 overs while Murphy sent down 27.

— HW

Close going between

Tivoli and Police

A tight battle for first innings points is underway between Police and Tivoli after the close of the first day at Elletson Road.

Scores: Tivoli 180 all out; Police 109-5.

Tivoli won the toss and elected to bat but lost wickets at regular intervals.

Only Maurice Satchel with a patient 40, Ralston Williams, 29, and Omar Hamilton, 21, provided resistance to the accuracy of the Police bowling, led by Orien Housen and former national player, Denville McKenzie.

Housen grabbed 5-60 and Mckenzie snared 3-70.

However, in reply, the lawmen found the going tough on an easy-paced strip. Martin Walcott (31), Marvin James (14) and Damion Crossgill (14) all failed to go on.

Dwayne Sinclair (22) and Christopher Whyte (two) will resume this morning.