Hoyte steers schools’ cricket title back to Sandy Bay

For the second year in succession, Denson Hoyte was at the bridge to navigate the United Insurance Schools’ Cricket title to berth again at the Sandy Bay Secondary.{{more}}

The trophy, this time, journeyed from the Park Hill Playing Field, and headed northwards, escorted by a caravan of vehicles which honked their horns through the streets.

Set 162 to win, and retention of the trophy, Hoyte plotted the course, as he took over the wheel at 15 for 1 at the fall of Kimarie May’s wicket.

The right-handed Hoyte, who did a similar job last year at the Arnos Vale Playing Field against Petit Bordel Secondary in the final, began to farm the bowling, following his back-to-back boundaries early in his innings.

Hoyte’s stay at the crease, which neared three hours, saw him engineering a 53-run third-wicket partnership with his captain Dilworth Thomas (28). Thomas, though, was the aggressor, blasting three fours and a six.

Hoyte and Othniel Stay put on 23 for the fourth wicket; Hoyte and Trevin May scored 11 for the fifth and he made 28 with Deron May for the sixth.

Sandy Bay inched its way home, as Hoyte and Kurtney Pompey realized the other 23 runs with 10 balls to spare. Hoyte finished on 54 not out.

The win was embraced by many of the Sandy Bay supporters who took the time out to add that extra vocal ingredient.

On the other side of the fence, Georgetown’s skipper Gidron Pope threatened to spoil Sandy Bay’s glory, as he took wickets at crucial intervals. Pope ended with 3 for 17, but the support from the other end was not the same. Only Lewis, with 2 for 19, showed any resilience with the ball, for the former multiple winners of the competition.

Georgetown added to their demise, as they conceded 39 extras, 35 wides, three leg byes and one no-ball.

Georgetown had batted first and made 161 all out from 48.5 overs: Kimson Dalzell struck 41 not out, Ornel Thomas, 28, and Pope, 26.

Bowling for Sandy Bay, Sealron Williams took 3 for 22, and Denson Hoyte, 2 for 29.

En route to last Friday’s final, Sandy Bay beat the Bethel High School in the semi-finals at the same venue.

Scores: Bethel High – 80; Sandy Bay – 81 for 2, to win by eight wickets.

The other semi-finals saw the Georgetown Secondary earning a 109-win over the St Vincent Grammar School at the Sion Hill Playing Field.

GSS scored 186 for 8 from 35 overs; St Vincent Grammar School were 77 all out from 26.4 overs.

Bethel took the third place. Scores: Bethel – 154; St Vincent Grammar School – 116. Bethel won by 38 runs. (RT)