Five centuries in BCA Cup Finals

As ESA Field Pickwick and Wildey battle for the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Super Cup title at the iconic Kensington Oval on Sunday, research has revealed that in the long history of the top local limited overs Championship, five centuries have been scored in Finals.

Mark Sealy of Wanderers had the honour of hitting the first hundred in 1993 (December 19) against Empire, in what was then a 40-over competition.

A former Barbados player with a reputation as a solid opener, Sealy made an unbeaten 115 but Wanderers lost by 25 runs.

Empire scored 244 for five off 38 overs and restricted Wanderers to 219 for eight.

Batting at No 4, Sealy faced 113 balls and struck 14 fours.

A versatile sportsman, Sealy also represented Barbados in squash and hockey.

Vonrick Nurse of Carlton was the second to achieve the feat in 2009 (November 15) against LIME (now Gladiola). Carlton won by 26 runs.

Opener Nurse made 124 off 150 balls with eight fours and seven sixes in a total of 250 for eight after Carlton were sent in.

LIME were bowled out for 224 in 48 overs.

Another Carlton player, Lendl Simmons, was the next to slam a ton on the big stage, but in a losing cause by one wicket with one over remaining against St Catherine in a thrilling finish in 2011 (September 4).

In an unforgettable match which had its fair share of twists and turns, fans were treated to a high-class century from Simmons, then a Trinidad & Tobago and West Indies player, in only his second match for Carlton in the tournament, though he had also played two matches for the club in the Sagicor General T20 championship the previous season.

Simmons, who only arrived on island from Trinidad & Tobago on the morning of the Final, scored 120 off 130 balls with six fours and five sixes in a total of 230 all out in 49.4 overs before he was ninth out, run out.

St Catherine responded with 235 for nine off 49 overs.

Six years later (September 3, 2017) Wanderers opener Shayne Moseley joined the special club when he scored 101 against St Catherine, who lost by 93 runs at the Windward Club ground, Lucas Street, St Philip.

After winning the toss, Wanderers made 228 for nine off 50 overs.

Left-hander Moseley faced 148 balls and struck four fours and three sixes.

St Catherine collapsed dramatically, losing their last nine wickets for 23 runs in 13.4 overs to be bowled out for 135 in 40.2 overs.

Moseley’s century is the only one in a Final outside of international venue, Kensington Oval.

Moseley has represented West Indies in Tests.

And in 2022 (October 16), Roston Chase hit an even century for Empire, who crushed Gladiola by 200 runs.

In a lop-sided Final, Empire amassed 322 for nine off 50 overs after winning the toss.

Displaying several fine strokes, Chase, a West Indies player, faced 79 balls. He struck eight fours and four sixes.

Gladiola were bowled out for 122 in 24.3 overs.

The major limited overs tournament started as a knockout in 1972 under the banner of Derrick Robins and was contested for three seasons before Barbados Fire & General (later known as Barbados Fire & Commercial and Sagicor General) took over the sponsorship from 1975 until 2015. It has not been sponsored since then.

The Championship was played as a 40-over until 2000, having moved from a straight knockout format to a round robin for the first time in 1995.

Since 2001, it has been contested as a 50-over.

On August 11, 2004, Sagicor General Insurance unveiled the new Super Cup at La Careenage in Bridgetown.

The re-branding of Barbados Fire & Commercial to Sagicor General Insurance led to the company purchasing a new cup with ‘hand chased design’ made by Swatkins Silver Ware of Britain.

Summarised scores of the Finals in which centuries were scored:

At Kensington Oval, 1993: December 19. Empire beat Wanderers by 25 runs.

Empire 244-5 (38 overs) (Michael Inniss 66 not out, Jeremy Alleyne 47, Derryck Battershield 41, Sherlon Greaves 41, Emmerson King 21 not out, Ricardo Hoyte 17; Victor “Vibert” Greene 2-70).

Wanderers 219-8 (38 overs) (Mark Sealy 115 not out – 113 balls, 14 fours; Edward Ince 34, Richard Armstrong 22, Victor “Vibert” Greene 16; Jeremy Alleyne 4-45, Delroy Walrond 2-37).

Player Of The Match: Mark Sealy.

Captains: Sherlon Greaves, Richard Armstrong.

At Kensington Oval, 2009: November 15. Carlton beat LIME by 26 runs.

Carlton 250-8 (50 overs) (Vonrick Nurse 124 – 150 balls, 8 fours, 7 sixes; Carlo Morris 50, Shirley Clarke 31, Richard Greaves 12, Amal Nurse 12 not out; Ashley Nurse 3-52, Corey Edwards 2-38).

LIME 224 all out (48 overs) (Randy Thomas 70 – 65 balls, 3 fours, 3 sixes, Kevon Beckles 55, Courtney Browne 23, Anthony Morris 15, Brian Johnson 12, Alex Browne 12 not out; Dane Currency 4-55 (including a hat-trick), Amal Nurse 3-60).

Player Of The Match: Vonrick Nurse.

Captains: Marlon Graham, Courtney Browne.

At Kensington Oval, 2011: September 4. St Catherine beat Carlton by one wicket.

Carlton 230 all out (49.4 overs) (Lendl Simmons 120 -130 balls, 6 fours, 5 sixes; Carlo Morris 47, Dale Richards 22, Kirk Gibson 10; Derick Bishop 2-23, Kenroy Williams 2-35, Michael Holder 2-48, Joel M. Leacock 2-53).

St Catherine 235-9 (49 overs) (Dayne Maynard 46 not out, Joel M. Leacock 34, Ulric Batson 29, Derick Bishop 23, Ahmed Proverbs 21, Ronaldo Kellman 20, Patrick Browne 16, Michael Holder 12 not out; Kyle Mayers 4-51, Dane Currency 2-23, Amal Nurse 2-43).

Player Of The Match: Lendl Simmons.

Captains: Derick Bishop, Khalid Springer.

At Lucas Street, 2017. September 3. Wanderers beat St Catherine by 93 runs.

Wanderers 228-9 (50 overs) (Shayne Moseley 101 – 148 balls, 4 fours, 3 sixes; Jonathan Drakes 52, Diego Stuart 18, Jason Greene 13; Darnel Greenidge 3-42, Damien Browne 2-44).

St Catherine 135 all out (40.2 overs) (Omar Phillips 49, Chad Puckerin 30, Mario Rampersaud 29; Rey Matthews 3-24, Chad Clarke-Reifer 2-15, Nikolai Charles 2-17).

Player Of The Match: Shayne Moseley.

Captains: Diego Stuart, Omar Phillips.

At Kensington Oval, 2022. October 16. Empire beat Gladiola by 200 runs.

Empire 322-9 (50 overs) (Roston Chase 100 – 79 balls, 8 fours, 4 sixes; Kevin Wickham 59 – 57 balls, 7 fours, 2 sixes; Kevin Stoute 48, Kofie Hurdle 25, Shian Brathwaite 24, Jomel Warrican 18, Jai-Bari Yarde 16, Shaquille Cumberbatch 10; Damario Goodman 5-43).

Gladiola 122 all out (24.3 overs) (Renaldo Brathwaite 30, Martin Nurse 24, Giovonte Depeiza 21, Richard Sampson 20; Camarie Boyce 4-26, Jarion Hoyte 2-24, Roston Chase 2-25).

Player Of The Match: Roston Chase.

Captains: Kofie Hurdle, Giovonte Depeiza.

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (rebranded Elite in 2012) Championship for over four decades and provides statistics and stories for the BCA website (www.barbadoscricket.org).

Email: keithfholder@gmail.com