Western Stars 243

Police 138

Dwayne (Sluggo) Leverock single-handily destroyed any hopes challengers Police might have had of upsetting holders Western Stars in the second round of the Central Counties Cup at St. John's Field on Saturday.

More renowned for his bowling prowess, Leverock again proved he's is no slouch with the bat either as it was his timely innings that proved to be the difference between the sides, assuring Stars of a 105-run victory over their First Division opponents.

Leverock stroked an unbeaten 105 that contained 12 fours and four towering sixes - the last of which brought up his maiden Central Counties ton and smashed into his own car parked outside of the ground.

The big man came to the crease with Stars in some trouble at 84 for five and, along with number seven batsman Hasan Durham, he managed to swing the momentum back into the home team's favour. The pair put on crucial 88 runs for the sixth wicket that put the cuffs on a Police attack which could only stand and watch as all of their early hard work came undone at the seams.

Durham held is end of the bargain by weighing in with an equally vital 34 runs that included four fours while opener Jermaine Postlethwaite smashed a typically brisk 25 (two fours and a six) at the top of the order. Justin Robinson also chipped in with an unbeaten 19 and opener Gershon Gibbons 14.

"Basically, I had to put my head down because we had Arnold (Manders) and Saleem (Mukuddem) missing from the team and it was my job to hang around and get the required runs," commented Leverock afterwards, his left foot submerged in bucket of ice. The veteran slightly injured his leg after stumbling over a hidden log just over the long-off boundary attempting to cut off a four.

But not even that slight misadventure seemed to bother him.

"It feels really good to score my first Counties century," he added with a smile, one hand firmly grasped on his shiny new AM Pakistani bat. "I was hitting the ball really good and was able to push it (ball) around the ground. So now I feel that I can be productive this season with the bat as well as with the ball."

However, Stars triumph would come at a cost as wicketkeeper Jekon Edness was struck in the left eye attempting to glove a Maurice Lowe delivery early during Police's innings and was rushed to hospital with a suspected facial fracture.

Veteran Police skipper Dennis Archer grabbed three for 41 with three maidens from ten overs while former St.George's Cup Match ace Ken Pitcher seized two for 33 from his ten over spell.

The veteran pair provided Police with an early ray of hope as they were responsible for Stars' top order batting slump that saw them reduced from 41 for one to 84 for five.

Jodi Maronie grabbed the wicket of Durham but at cost of 66 runs while Keshi Trott dropped the crucial wicket of Leverock when he was on 12 and again on 53. The player would also later spill a Robinson offering at long-on.

Police showed up with only ten players and were further reduced to nine during their turn at bat as Nyon Steede, brother of Stars' skipper Albert, had to attend a graduation ceremony along with Stars' Postlethwaite.

But Steede didn't depart before holding onto a sizzling catch at first slip to dismiss his older sibling off the bowling of Archer for nine.

Stars finished with 243 for six in a match reduced to 48 overs as a result of Friday's heavy rains.

At their turn at bat, Police managed to get off to a decent start with openers Terry Thomas (15) and Andrew Rawlins (16) adding 31 for the first wicket before the former was trapped leg before wicket by Gershon Gibbons.

Wickets continued to fall at regular intervals despite stubborn resistance from John Pitcher (22), Archer (13), Ken Pitcher (13) and Maronie who scored 14. Police were dismissed for 138 in exactly 34 overs at 6:58 p.m.

Durham, Gershon Gibbons and teenager Denniko Hollis all seized two wickets. Durham had two for eight, Gibbons two for 19 and Hollis two for 25 respectively. Stars' other teenager Anthony Hayward and Robinson each grabbed a wicket apiece while substitute fielder Treadwell Gibbons Sr held onto three superb catches in the covers and skipper Steede executed three swift stumpings deputising behind the stumps for the injured Edness.

Stars will now meet Devonshire in the final on June 28.