FORMER champions Mico Masters and St Catherine Parish have taken the early lead after winning their second straight matches as the 2014 Wray and Nephew White Overproof Rum Masters T20 cricket competition continued at the Kingston Cricket Club, Preston Road, East Kingston last Sunday.

However, there were two outstanding batting performances enjoyed by a large support of cricket fans who attended matches each Sunday. First, Courtney O’Connor, playing for AEROTEL/KOOL FM, blasted 75 runs before he had to retire with a pulled hamstring injury, while attempting a second run.

For Mico Masters, Orville Pennant was in no-nonsense mood as he scored a masterly and blistering knock of 87 not out that contained 11 fours and three towering sixes to lead his team to an easy eight-wicket win over AEROTEL/KOOL FM. His knock was made off only 64 balls.

Batting first in the match, Mico Masters took first strike and rattled up a challenging 150 for seven wickets off their allotted 20 overs.

O’Connor, who batted at number three, took the bowlers as he hit the ball to all parts of the field that included some power hitting where his 75 runs came off 50 balls, and contained eight fours and three mighty sixes.

The other contributors were Rohan Britten 20, Gary Pink 18 (two sixes), Thomas Johnson 17; Solomon Darby took three for 23.

Mico Masters started off well in their reply as they quickly lost their first wicket at 36 made off four overs. The wicket to fall was that of opener Cecil Lewis for 13 with two fours. It was a long wait for another breakthrough for the losers as Pennant and Carl Brissett tore the bowlers apart.

It was a masterful innings by the left-handed Pennant, who continued to destroy AEROTEL/KOOL FM bowlers with classic shots. Pennant and Brissett added a fine 87 runs before the latter was out after scoring 35 off 31 balls with two fours.

With the second wicket falling at 123, the losers had no more to get as Mico Masters, through Pennant, hit the winning run to win by eight wickets.

Meanwhile, in the first game of the day’s double-header St Catherine Parish easily defeated Melbourne Cricket Club by seven wickets for their second win from two starts.

Melbourne won the toss and elected to bat first where they could only rattle up 108 for seven wickets off their allotted 20 overs with Mark Gayle scoring 49 runs off 59 balls with four fours and two sixes. Shawn Lodge contributed 18 off 21 balls; Mark Wilson took three for two runs off two overs, and Robert Brown two for 16 off four overs.

St Catherine Parish replied with 110 for three wickets off 14.1 overs. They fought back after losing their two openers with only 17 runs on the board. Colin Buchanan made 48 off 32 balls, including five fours and a six, Lloyd Spence added 20 not out (two fours), and Delroy Barron contributed 16 with two fours.

The Masters T20 competition continues on Sunday with a double-header at Kingston Cricket Club, Preston Road, Rollington Town in East Kingston.

May Pen Lions will go up against Moneague Strikers at 10:00 am, while Portmore Masters will take on St Thomas Eagles at 2:00 pm.