Russell guides St Catherine into semis

Jermaine Lannaman, Sunday Gleaner Writer

West Indies all-rounder André Russell turned in a top-notch performance to guide St Catherine Cricket Club into the semi-finals of the Jamaica Twenty20 championship yesterday.

Russell, who recently returned from South Africa where he represented the Delhi Daredevils in the Champions League Twenty20, claimed two wickets for eight runs in his four overs and hit a top score of 34 to help St Catherine to a five-wicket win over G.C. Foster College at Police Sports Complex, Elletson Road.

The first game of a quarter-final double-header, G.C. Foster College were bowled out for 97 off 19.4 overs, with in-form batsman Rajiv Chatrie scoring 38 against Russell and Stephen Casey, 2-6, and Odean Brown, 2-25.

St Catherine, in reply, reached their target at 98 for five. All-rounder Wayne Morgan, 21, best supported Russell.

good performances

The feature game, in the meanwhile, saw Melbourne, on the back of good performances from Yannick Elliott, Damion Jacobs and Garfield Moore, defeating the Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) by four wickets.

Melbourne first restricted the JDF to 113 for nine, with Jacobs claiming 2-13, Elliott, 2-14 and Nikita Miller 2-15.

The JDF's captain, Damion Grey, with 46 off 37 balls, made most runs for the army men.

Elliott, who has been in and out of the national limited-overs team, then reeled off three sixes and a four in making 45 off 32 balls to lead Melbourne to 114 for six off 19.2 overs.

Wicketkeeper Moore, who opened the innings, made 26, while Miller, with a valuable 21, chipped in towards the end.

"After losing to the JDF in our last two meetings, one in the 50 overs and in the group stages, we finally got the better of them," said Miller.

"Credit must go to Elliott, who as a senior player in the team, we asked to step up today and he did."

The JDF's Grey said: "It was always going to be hard defending 112. We tried, but in the end Elliott batted really well to take the pressure off them heading into the final overs."

Elsewhere, St Mary beat Westmoreland by four wickets and Manchester defeated St Thomas on a superior net run rate in a rain-affected game at Chedwin Park.

In the first game, Westmoreland made 157 for eight with André Andrews getting 39, and Maverick Perry 36 against Tazwayne Creary, 3-16, and Marlon Byfield, 3-9.

St Mary, in reply, made 158 for six off 16.4 overs with Aldane Thomas getting 72 and Domain Wilson an undefeated 36, against Ramal Lewis, 2-30.

The second match saw St Thomas reaching 79 for four off 14 overs before rain forced a premature end. Jamie Trenchfield, 31 not out, and against Christopher Powell, three for 22, were the outstanding performers.

Manchester then advanced by virtue of having a better run rate from the group stages.