Surrey B lift title

Breese.. five for 40 yesterday.

SURREY B emerged the 2001 Jamaica Cricket Association County cricket champions yesterday following their impressive innings and 37 runs victory over Cornwall at Up Park Camp.

Surrey B entered the final round with 13 points, three behind long-time leaders Surrey A, and needing to gain an outright win in order to have a shot at the $100,000 first prize.

Both teams ended up on the same number of points (19), but Surrey B came out on top by virtue of having gained first innings from Surrey A in a third round match at Up Park Camp.

Surrey A entered the game against Kingston needing to gain an outright win, which would see them taking the title. However, they could only manage first innings points to finish second and will receive $30,000.

Scores: Surrey A 300 for three declared (Chris Gayle 152 not out, Mel Wint 63). Cornwall 132 (Myron Wilson 39; Warren Medwynter 4-17; offspinner Gareth Breese 4-54) and following on, 131 (Damion Grey 54, Dwayne Ewart 31; Breese 5-40, Brian Murphy 3-12).

Captain Paul Brown manager of the winning team said: "I thought this season was a good one for some of the players and the team on a whole. It's really good to see that a Surrey team can come out on top with the other Surrey team also doing well."

"We had very good performances from Wint, Wayne Cuff, Medwynter, Murphy and when Chris Gayle came into the team he ended it well with two big hundreds along with Gareth Breese who also chipped in," he explained.

Cornwall resumed on their overnight score of 35 without loss with Damion Grey on 20 and Dwayne Ewart 15. Both players gave them a good start by pushing the score to 84 before losing their first wicket. Grey was the first to go, bowled by Breese for a well-played 54 off 79 deliveries, which included 10 fours.

It was not long before his opening partner Ewart joined him in the pavilion, going by the run out route for 31. Kenroy Williams (11) and Chris Miller (four) saw their team past the 100 mark and after looking to push on, Breese struck again. This time he removed Williams, bowled playing across the line.

Gayle got the wicket of Miller in the very next over to make it 105 for four. From then on Cornwall went downhill... fast.

Breese took five for 40 off 21 overs to finish with match figures of nine for 94. He was well supported by legspinner Brian Murphy, who claimed three for 12 from seven overs.

This was the first time in the five-year history of the competition that a combined team was winning the championship. The first winners were Kensington back in 1997, followed by Lucas 1998, Melbourne 1999 and 2000.

AT SABINA PARK: Scores - Surrey A 139 (David Bernard Jr 36, Keith Hibbert 27; left-arm spinner Ryan Cunningham 6 for 38) and 136 for three declared; Kingston 104 and 95 for four when play was called off at 5:42 p.m. after nine of the 15 mandatory overs had been bowled.

Resuming at 63 for four in their first innings, Kingston slumped to 81 for eight during the first hour of the morning's play. First to go was Shane Brooks (18 overnight), bowled by fast man Jermaine Lawson for 26 at 75 for five.

Lawson struck shortly after when he trapped incoming batsman Nehemiah Perry leg before for four to make it 79 for six, while legspinner Kevin Peart sent back Kerry Scott for zero and Lawson had overnight batsman Simon Jackson caught at the wicket, also without scoring, to leave Kingston in tatters at 81 for eight.

Thanks to tailender Ryan Cunningham (17), Kingston just managed to pass the 100 mark, as Peart finished with four for 28 off 13 overs, Lawson three for 23 off 11 including three maidens and offspinner Bevon Brown, two for eight.

Batting a second time, Surrey A went for quick runs. After losing skipper David Bernard Jr. bowled by pacer Dwight Mais for eight, Tamar Lambert cracked 63 with two sixes and four fours in 100 minutes, Wavell Hinds 30 not out in 58 minutes and opener Keith Hibbert, 26 with four fours. Surrey A declared at the fall of Lambert's wicket at 2:08 p.m. as Cunningham claimed two for 31.

AT PORT ESQUIVEL: Outgoing champions Melbourne defeated Middlesex by eight wickets to finish third with 16 points.

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