St. George's 172-9

St. David's 171

The issue of whether Travis Smith's 11th over should have been completed will be the topic of discussion between St. David's and St. George's fans for some time, after a ruled-out six on the second ball of that aborted over stood between victory and defeat for St. David's.

St. David's completed a controversial opening weekend of the season when their one-run loss to neighbours St. George's at Lord's was marred by the incident in the 42nd over.

Despite the attempt by the scorers to get umpire Leroy Wilson's attention that Travis Smith had bowled his allotted ten overs, the spinner began an 11th over. On the second ball Arthur Pitcher Jr. lifted him over long-on for six.

Now aware of the confusion, umpire Wilson spoke with his colleague Stephen West and subsequently ruled the delivery `dead'. He then stopped the over and allowed a new one to be bowled by Detroy Smith. St. David's, who had recovered from 83-5 with a sixth-wicket stand of 50 in 43 minutes between Fiqre Crockwell and Justin Pitcher, were still more than 30 runs from victory with only four wickets remaining at the time.

That Detroy Smith over enabled Gregg Foggo to change ends and in his first over from the northern end, Foggo bowled Arthur Pitcher to make it 143-7. That `lost' six did not seem to matter as Crockwell and Loren Marshall (17) put on 23 for the eighth wicket before Marshall was removed by Herbie Bascome to make it 166-8 in the 49th over.

Going into the last over St. David's still needed four runs for victory and with only two wickets standing. Captain Gregg Foggo bowled George O'Brien on the third ball of that final over with St. David's still three short of victory.

A wide down the legside on the fourth ball to last man Mackie Crane made it 171, but in the next ball Crane popped up an easy catch to Herbie Bascome at gully to give St. George's victory by the narrowest of margins and with just two balls remaining.

The controversy of the 11th over surfaced again with St. David's president Wilbur Pitcher, a qualified umpire, very vocal in his belief that the over should have been completed once it had been started, even though the rules of limited overs cricket allow for bowlers to bowl a maximum of ten overs. He pointed out that some years ago Lionel Cann's 11th over in a match was allowed to stand.

Crockwell was the high man for St. David's with 30 not out while Delyone Borden scored 26 and O.J. Pitcher 25. Borden had shared in a vital fourth wicket stand of 40 with captain Clay Smith, taking the score from 43 to 83 when the pair fell in successive deliveries from Ryan Steede.

First, Borden was brilliantly run out by Gregg Foggo after Steede field a straight drive from Borden and tried to run out Smith. Foggo reacted quickly at mid-on and ran out Borden as he tried to sneak a quick single.

The next ball Steede trapped Smith lbw for 13 to make it 83-5, but in the next 43 minutes complacency and sloppy fielding allowed teenagers Crockwell and Justin Pitcher (19) to pull St. David's back into the game. However, as they did the day before, Bascome and Gregg Foggo claimed crucial late wickets. Foggo finished with three for 27 from 8.4 overs while Bascome had two for 44 and former Western Stars bowler Wilburt Burt two for 19 in his debut for the east enders.

Mackie Crane, the centre of controversy in Saturday's match with Stars which was not played, led the St. David's bowling against his former team with four for 33 from nine overs while Clay Smith took two for 22 off eight. Oronde Bascome, 15 years old, was top scorer for St. George's with 32 while Sinclair Gibbons added 30 as they put on 64 for the second wicket.