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Paceman Gibbs guides Jamaicans to easy win

Commercial Cricket League when his five-wicket haul wrecked a strong West Indian Association batting line-up to help sweep unbeaten Jamaican Association to a six-wicket victory over their Caribbean rivals.

St. David's also maintained their 100 percent record with an emphatic seven-wicket win over Devonshire Stars while defending champions Forties bounced back from their narrow defeat at Lord's the previous week by registering a rare victory over Watford Sports Club at the Royal Naval Field.

Sunday's other scheduled match, between Leg Trappers and North Village, was not played and will be rearranged for later in the season, according to league secretary Dave Carruthers.

The fixture had been switched to Police Field at the last minute to accommodate St. David's move to Garrison Field from Lord's, which was needed for a Premier Division match.

The Commercial League, needing help with pitches after suffering a major blow with the loss of Nationals following the purchase of the Devonshire property by the Montessori Academy, was given an assurance that Police Field, which WIA hope to use as their home ground, would be made available.

But when Leg Trappers and North Village players turned up it was in an unfit state after a Premier Division match there on Saturday.

Gibbs, who has returned to Jamaican Association after a spell with Somerset, teamed up with another quick bowler, Simroy Crosdale, to demolish WIA, who had been sent in, for 51 at Shelly Bay.

Gibbs, who took three wickets in the season opener against Devonshire Stars, claimed five for 23 from 10.1 overs while Crosdale took four for 21 from 10 overs.

Pace bowler Stan Francis, who began the season with a three-wicket haul, bagged all four wickets for 28 in eight overs but could not stop Jamaican Association reaching their modest target in 16 overs. Lloyd Morrison top-scored with 21.

An unbeaten 58, which contained eight boundaries, by all-rounder Craig Cannonier batting at number six, provided the backbone of Forties' 158 after they had been sent in. Braxton Stowe and Rohaan Simons chipped in with 20 apiece, hammering nine boundaries between them.

Trevor Corday was the pick of the Watford attack with five for 38 in 11.3 overs while Blake West and Gary Ray took two wickets each.

Forties had Watford on the ropes at 37 for six but Terence Corday, with three sixes in his 32, and his father Terry (16) raised hopes with a stand of 54 before both fell, the innings closing at 95 in 26 overs as the west enders tumbled to a 63-run defeat.

Pace bowlers David Jarrett and Kalvin Charles, a former Devonshire Stars player, did the bulk of the damage, snapping up three for 27 in nine overs and three for 33 in 10 overs respectively.

Left-hander Cannonier followed up his half century with two for four while Allan Lee, who has rejoined Forties after returning to the Island from Canada, picked up two for eight.

St. David's restricted Devonshire Stars to 94 for eight from their 42 overs and then knocked off the runs in 21 overs.

Corey Smith, who later took two for seven from five overs, made 20 and newcomer Russell Lambert 21 not out but their colleagues found it hard going against Allen Richardson and Shea Pitcher who claimed eight of the wickets with figures of four for 10 from six overs and four for 39 from 16 overs.

Shea Pitcher (35) and Jeff Pitcher (21) were the chief contributors as St.

David's raced to 95 for three in reply.