Policeman Best Manhandles Greenies in West Bay
Pearson Best slammed his second consecutive
division one century to lead Police to a sensational last ball
victory over Village Greenies when the Money Express cricket competition
continued at the Jimmy Powell Oval, West Bay, last Sunday, April
6.
Best treated the crowd and his team-mates to the most spectacular
display of power hitting seen in local competition in recent years.
He timed his onslaught to perfection and when it appeared Police
would fall agonizingly short, requiring seven off the last ball
to overtake the Greenies score, Best smashed the final delivery
of the match, bowled by Hugh Thompson, out of the ground to spark
tremendous celebrations among the lawmen.
Greenies scored 235 all out off 49.5 overs. Police replied with 235 for five. With the scores tied, Police earned the victory by virtue of having lost fewer wickets than Greenies.
Best, who hit 104 in Police's win over Prison Cricket Club at the Smith Road Oval last weekend, joined his captain Ryan Bovell at the crease with his side shakily placed at 29 for two, the casualties being Daniel Morris and Ricardo Roach.
Best and Bovell, as they had done the previous week, stabilised the innings, on this occasion in a productive third wicket stand that produced 47 runs. When Hector Robinson caught Bovell off Watson for 30, Alvan Babb played his best knock of the season in a measured supporting role helping Best add 79 for the fourth wicket.
Police required a challenging 118 off 15 overs following the final water break and the determination etched on the faces of Babb and Best as they made their way back to the middle, suggested spectators were about to experience something special.
Babb cleverly fed Best the strike and the pair ran well between the wickets as Greenies' captain Frankie Hinds astutely managed his bowling attack and fielders in an attempt to defend the competitive total. The Greenies players also seemed committed in the field with few errors being made.
It was the brilliance of Hinds that accounted for Babb off the bowing of Shaun Neveling. Hinds, fielding at mid-wicket took a well-judged catch at the second attempt to dismiss Babb for 25. Dwight Rivers continued to execute the supporting role expertly but there was no doubt it was the Pearson Best show.
The excitement intensified as Police required 66 of six overs, then 42 of three and 24 off two. In the mad scramble for runs Rivers was run out but Duke Browne maintained the pattern of keeping the rampaging Best on strike.
Nineteen runs were required for victory when the final over started. The batsmen scrambled two twos off the first couple deliveries, then Best carted the third from Thompson over long on for six to reduce the target to nine off three balls. Best could only eke out a single off the fourth delivery leaving the new batsman Brown with an enormous responsibly in quickly fading light.
Brown put Best back on strike with a single that left Police needing seven runs to overtake the Greenies score. Aware of the playing conditions that required Police to only tie the score, Best smashed the final delivery out of the ground, much to the dismay of the bemused Greenies fielders.
His unbeaten 143 came in just under three
hours and included nine sixes and four fours struck on a largely
slow outfield.
Hector Robinson was the most successful bowler with two for 37
from ten overs.
Earlier, Deno McInniss hit two fours in an enterprising innings of 51 to help guide Greenies to 235. The reliable Neveling played solidly for 48 and the consistent Will Gardiner contributed 32. Best took four for seven from 2.5 overs and Cleve Hunte three for 35 also from 10.