DEFENDING Champions Boscobel edged Sandals/Beaches Ocho Rios by three runs in a dramatic encounter in the St Mary Cricket Association Maurice Clarke Big Bash T20 Competition at Boscobel Oval on Sunday.

In other matches, Top End defeated Oxford by seven runs, Port Maria stopped Day’s Mountain by seven wickets, Jack’s River smashed Three Hills by eight wickets and Galina defeated Trinity Land by six runs.

In the feature match, Boscobel raced to 169 for six off 18 overs, with leading run-scorer Alwyn Williams making a well-played 86. He was supported by Herman Henry, 40. Bowling for Sandals/Beaches Ocho Rios, Delroy Patterson took 3-27.

In their turn at the crease, Sandals/Beaches could only manage 166 for eight, thanks to skipper Jesse Alexander’s 38 and Nicholas Williams’ 31 against Randain Bennett’s 4-24.

In the opening match at Boscobel Oval, Top End scored 98-6 off 10 overs in a match reduced to 10 overs due to rain. Damion Silvera, 26, Geron Irons, 19, and Courtney Whyte 19 were the main run getters for Top End against Akeem Mccalla’s 2-17.

Oxford could only muster 91 for eight off their 10 overs, with Emile Thomas, 58 and Fitzroy Howell, 25 the run getters. Kemar Henry, 2-13 and Donovan Bartley, 2-19 did the damage for Top End.

Over at Galina, the home team made 160 all out from their allotted 20 overs, thanks to Romaine Gordon’s 41 and Melvin Espeut’s 33. Garfield Thompson, 2-21 was the pick of the Trinity Land bowlers.

In their turn at the crease, Trinity Land scored 154 all out. Damion Graham, 36 and Benjamin White, 25 managed most runs, with Garfield Thompson, 2-31 doing the damage with the ball for Galina.

At Three Hills Oval, Day’s Mountain scored 133 for seven off 15 overs with Andre Baker 81 and Maurice Henry, 19 the mainstay of the batting. Bowling for Port Maria, Marlon Byfield’s 3-8 and Claudius Thompson’s 3-16 did the damage.

When Port Maria batted, Dalton Howell, 57 and Maurice Clarke, 39 smashed the bowling to all parts of the field, as they raced to 136 for two off 11.3 overs.

In the Jack’s River vs Three Hills encounter, Three Hills scored 152-9 off 18 overs, with Richard Francis, 54 and Winston Benain, 30 getting most runs, against Tyrone Daley’s 2-29 and Christopher Green’s 3-43. Jack’s River cruised to 154-2 off 15.5 overs, with Christopher Green, 67 and Orane Farr, 43 the in-form batsmen.

At Mango Valley, the games between Wilderness vs White Hall and Mango Valley vs Police Area Two were not played due to heavy rains.

Competition continues Sunday with a full slate of matches.