Police 136-6

St George's CC 134

Police Recreation Club celebrated a triumphant return to top flight cricket on home soil yesterday, defeating visiting St.George's in a match that could've gone either way.

The home team's decision to send their opponents in to bat on a drying pitch after a delayed start paid dividends as Dominican seamer Rohan Henry exploited the conditions with lethal effect to help restrict St.George's to a modest total.

Henry was rewarded for shuffling his line and length that kept the batsmen guessing on the way to compiling superb figures of four for 31 off eight overs.

In reply, Vincent Bradshaw (27), Dennis Archer (17), Dennis Joell (24) and Nigel Gittens (20 not out) all came good with the bat to power Police to victory with 10.1 overs to spare.

St.George's made a promising start to their innings with youngsters Oronde Bascome (33) and Ajaun Lambe (22) sharing in a 39 run opening stand in the face of some hostile bowling from quickie Traddie Simpson (one for 20).

But once the pair were separated in the eighth over when Lambe was wrapped on the pads just moments after hoisting veteran seamer Ozzie Hinds over long on for six, St.George's lost wickets at regular intervals before they were eventually dismissed in the 30th over.

Opener Bascome, who lashed three fours off 59 balls in 78 minutes, battled on courageously in the face of adversity and as long as he was at the crease St.George's - helped by some clumsy fielding on Police's behalf - seemed capable of putting up a more challenging total.

Henry, though, had other thoughts in mind and with a full toss shattered Bascome's stumps just as he threatened to cut loose at the crease.

Bascome's dismissal triggered another slide as St.George's lost their remaining five wickets for the addition of 54 runs inside 13 overs.

Troy Hall (21) was the only other East End batsman in double figures. Police also found themselves in early trouble at 51 for three after 12 overs as seamers Kyle Hodsoll (one for 32) and skipper Ryan Steede (two for 34) made early inroads with the new ball to keep their team in contention.

But through a combination of wayward bowling, poor field placement and a crucial 40-run sixth-wicket stand between Gittens and Joell, Police were not to be denied after regaining control of proceedings.

Bradshaw belted three boundaries to give his team some momentum and once that was established Archer, Joell and Gittens kept the scorers busy with some equally robust strokeplay.

Having earlier frustrated the bowlers in a stand that turned the tide in Police's favor, it was only fitting that Gittens scored the winning runs, this time sweeping seamer Herbie Bascome on bended knee over the square leg rope for six to end the match in style.