St.David's 176

Western Stars 178-6

Premier Division frontrunners Western Stars' charge for the league title gained more momentum yesterday at Lord's, where the St. John's road club handed reigning league champions St. David's a four-wicket loss.

A superb bowling performance by Dwayne Leverock (four for 18) and a crucial 93-run partnership by skipper Albert Steede (60) and Saleem Mukudem (42) put paid to the Islanders' recent fine run of form.

Winning the toss, Stars sent their hosts into bat, with openers Glenn Blakeney (41) and skipper Sammy Robinson (3) managing to put on a 27-run partnership.

As usual, Blakeney went for his strokes and punished anything short of a length, while Robinson was content to provided the perfect foil at the other end.

Phillip (Billy Joe) Pitcher (two) and Blakeney then added 33 before the latter was caught at deep square leg by Gershon Gibbons off Wilbur Burt, just nine short of yet another half-century.

Blakeney blasted eight fours and a six in just 45 minutes, his 41 coming off only 36 balls.

Pitcher would be the next wicket to fall as Leverock had him trapped leg before wicket, bringing young Delyone Borden (five) to the crease with his skipper Clay Smith (73).

The pair put on 28 before Manders made the breakthrough, gratefully accepting a return catch to dismiss Borden.

Skipper Smith, realising his team were in danger of posting an embarassingly low total, batted on cautiously.

Smith and Lionel Cann, also just back from injury, then added 25 before Cann went for the big hit and was caught by Hasan Durham on the long-off boundary off the bowling of Burt for 13.

Del Hollis (ten) hung around with his skipper, before he too tried to take on Manders but only succeeded in finding the safe hands of Durham, again fielding at long-off.

Smith continued to hold his own, finally bringing up his dogged half-century in 120 minutes, off 76 balls, but St.David's kept losing his wickets at the other end as Leverock applied the finishing touch.

Of the remaining four St.David's batsmen, only Loren Marshall (ten) managed double figures, with Smith last man out, caught by Steede for a well played 73. Smith stroked eight fours during his marathon innings.

St.David's were all out for 176 in 48.3 overs.Leverock topped Stars bowling with four for 18 off 9.3 overs, Manders had two for 32, Burt two for 49 and Mukudem two for 53.

In reply, Stars lost their first wicket on 12, with Jermaine Postlethwaite snapped up by Cann in the gully for one.

Gibbons (three) and Steede then put on a 21-run stand before the former was out, caught behind by Blakeney off Cann.

Mukudem (42) then joined Steede and together the pair settled in nicely to put on a valuable 93 runs.

Mukudem, however, would fall eight runs short of his half century when he was caught by Robinson off O'Brien.

The all-rounder stroked five fours and one six.

Steede reached his half century off 77 balls in 123 minutes before McLaren Lowe pulled off a brilliant catch at point to dismiss him for 60.

Manders (16) and Durham (eight) would be the last Stars wickets to fall,as Leverock (ten not out) and Justin Robinson (seven not out) featured in an unbeaten sixth wicket stand to steer their team to victory in 44.5 overs.

O'Brien was St.David's most successful bowler with two for 38.