National Premier Division Cricket showdown this weekend

The competition to be crowned champion of the National Lotteries Authority Premier Division of the national cricket programme will be decided this weekend.{{more}}

In the ring are the two current heavyweights of local cricket, reigning champion Team Rivals and Victors One.

The two will square off at the Arnos Vale Two playing field. Team Rivals sit on 108 points and Victors One are six points adrift on 102.

Action, in what is expected to be a hghly competitive match, bowls off at 1p.m. on Saturday.

At the other end of the table, Victors Two, languishing at the bottom of the standings, are seeking to avoid relegation when they meet the News Spartans at the Sion Hill Playing Field.

But the weather can be a major factor, as it was last weekend, when rain had the biggest say in the matches.

The three matches contested all ended in draws, but with the News Spartans, Carl Joseph Law Chambers ASCO and Victors One gaining first innings honours over their opponents.

At the Stubbs Playing Field, Spartans gained first innings lead over Police Two.

Batting first, Police Two made146; Donson Andrews, 44. Teron Simon 3 for 49 and Austin Edwards 2 for 5 were the pick of the Spartans bowlers. In reply, Spartans totalled 182 for 8 declared; Gideon Pope hit 46, as Rolando Wright bagged 6 for 50 for the law officers.

The tale was similar at the Sion Hill Playing Field, when ASCO won on first innings over Victors Two in a bottom of the table clash. ASCO scored 132, with Desron Maloney compiling 44.

In Victors Two’s reply of 111, Kishore Shallow top scored with 34. ASCO’s second innings halted at 99; Derron Greaves stroked 41. Bowling for Victors Two, Adinal Richards picked up 5 for 11.

Batting a second time, Victors Two were 24 for 3, when the match ended.

At Arnos Vale Two, Victors One secured first innings lead over LIME Radcliffe. Alston Bobb was the lead scorer with 85, in Victors One’s 231. Dellorn Johnson, 3 for 61 and Dyke Cato 3 for 56, were the main wicket takers for LIME Radcliffe, who were dismissed for 140 in reply.

Lindon James hit a top score of 27. Alston Bobb 3 for 20, Kenneth Dember 2 for 22 and Norlan Williams 2 for 39 hauled in the bulk of the wickets for Victors One. (RT)