Fitzroy Prendergast, Staff Reporter
A MAGNIFICENT century by Damion Wilmot powered St. Ann to a superb win over Melbourne in their exciting Sandals All-Island limited overs semi-final at the Melbourne Oval yesterday.
SCORES: Melbourne 323-7 off 50 overs (Marlon Samuels 79, Aubrey Wollaston 68, Robert Samuels 57; Olonzo Harris 3-43, Emerson Jackson 2-85), St. Ann 325-7 in 48.2 overs (Wilmot 149, Martina Mills 53, Rashard Marshall 39; Conroy Miller 5-71).
St. Ann won the toss and asked the hosts to take first strike but were made to toil as openers Aubrey Wollaston and Kevin Baugh put on 110. The attacking Wollaston, who struck 11 fours and two sixes, was the first to go when he hit Harris straight to mid-wicket and was caught by Richard Francis. Seven runs later, Baugh holed out to Glenmore Hall for 38.
Lleweyln Meggs ws well caught and bowled by Harris for seven to make it 124-3 and three runs later Donald Bennett was neatly taken at point by Francis for two to have the hosts struggling.
However, a wonderful fifth-wicket partnership between brothers Marlon and Robert Samuels yielded 97 runs to rescue Melbourne. Marlon slammed ten fours and one six and older brother Robert hit four fours and three sixes, during the entertaining stand before Robert was clean bowled by Richard Hoilette for 57 at 224-5.
Marlon was the next to go, edging Emerson Jackson to wicketkeeper Howard Harris at 289-6. Carlton Baugh Jnr, the last Melbourne batsman to be dismissed, was stumped by Harris off Jackson for 37 at 312-7. Thereafter the hosts batted cautiously to reach what was thought to be a formidable score.
St. Ann, in contrast to Melbourne, lost a number of wickets early but recovered well. They lost their first wicket at 11, the seond at 47, their third at 66 and the fourth at 89 but then a 124-run fifth wicket partnership between Wilmot and Martina Mills (53) set up a classic come-from-behind win. Mills was caught on the long-off boundary by Miller off Meggs at 207-5 but Rashard Marshall (39) joined Wilmot and the two added 67 before Marshall holed out to Meggs on the long-on boundary off Miller. Wilmot was the last man to be dismissed but by then the damage had been done as the visitors were just nine runs short of their target.
The dominant Wilmot crashed 15 fours and six huge sixes to win the man-of the match award and ensure his team would contest Saturday's final against the Jamaica Defence Force.
