Staple Stars As Villagers Pacesetters Continue Winning Ways

Metropolitan Cricket League
By Dervon Wallace
Richard “Master” Staple sparkled as an understrength Villagers CC defeated a good Lucas CC by 5 wickets stretching their unbeaten run in MCL competition to 23 games dating back to the 2013 season.

Richard Staple of Villagers struck 82 and took 4 for 24..

Missing some of their more fancy players, chasing 169 at the Marine Park Cricket field, Villagers got to their target with 59 balls to spare to start off the defense of their Clement “Busta” Lawrence Premier League Trophy on a winning note.

Staple was at the heart of Villagers successful run chase, striking a top score of 82 to give the champion’s inning the momentum needed.  The elegant right-handed former Jamaica and USA star faced 92 balls and crunched seven fours and two sixes, and added 115 from 20.3 overs for the first wicket with veteran Melroy Kingston who made 41 (48 balls 2×4 and 1×6) before he had his furniture disturbed by Patrick Walfall.

Seeming trying to chase a bonus point the Villagers management promoted Six-A-Side MVP the hard hitting George Adams to number 3 but he wasn’t able to continue where he left off and was caught behind off Walfall bowling for 7. Captain Cliff Roye joined Staple and the pair added 25 before Staple who has being contemplating retirement since the end of last season was stumped also off Walfall bowling, he walked off to loud cheers from the Villagers dugout as they knew the master had more in the tank and aren’t ready to see him hang up his size 12 boots just yet.  Marvin Simpson was run out for a duck and Roye fell for 19 but the writing was on the wall, the target was reached when Raldo Mowatt drive to long-off for a single.

Walfall was the pick of the Lucas bowlers with figures of 3 for 35 from 7.1 overs, J. Staten finish with 1 for 7 from 2 overs.

Earlier, Lucas was dismiss for 169 in 40 overs with Jamaican First Class player 26 years old Zeniffe Fowler top scoring with 34 (42balls 3×4). He was supported by K. Harris, the diminutive wicket-keeper batsman made 27 (39balls 1×6). Veteran Wayne Struger with 15 (14 balls 2×4) was next best as captain Orval Crawford and Peter Heywood were the only other batsman with 13 each to get into double figures with extras accounting for 20 (8wides, 3byes and 9 leg byes).

Bowling for Villagers:  Staple 4 for 24 from 8 overs, Adams 3 for 29 from 8 overs, Kingston 2 for 29 from 8 overs, Leeberth Williamson 1 for 33 from 8 overs, Wayne Myers 0 for 29 from 6 overs, Simpson 0 for 8 from 1 over and Roye 0 for 3 from 1 over.