Bonner credits bowlers for St Catherine derby success

Out-of-favour West Indies batsman Nkrumah Bonner has pinpointed pressured bowling as the reason behind St Catherine CA's narrow nine-wicket win over St Catherine CC in their recent Jamaica Cricket Association 50-Overs Championship clash.

The Zone B contest, which gives the winning team bragging rights, saw St Catherine CA coming out on top courtesy of a brilliant all-round performance from the 26-year-old Bonner, who also bowls part-time leg spin.

Bonner, who recently signed to the Leeward Islands Hurricanes for the upcoming four-day WICB Professional League, slammed a top score of 66 in St Catherine CA's competitive total of 224 off 47.3 overs.

penalised

This was in addition to supplemental scores of 40 and 31 not out, respectively, from national trials invitee, wicketkeeper Kemar Marshall and veteran Erron Downer.

The experienced Tamar Lam-bert, with five for 22, led the way for St Catherine CC's bowlers.

Bonner then returned in late afternoon to cop two for 31, as St Catherine CC, who were penalised 18 runs when they were in the field for slow over rate, were dismissed for 233 with two balls to spare.

St Catherine CC, the defending champions, based on the penalty runs conceded, needed to score 242 for victory.

Left-arm spinner Coi Thompson, another Jamaica four-day trials invitee, led the way for St Catherine CA's bowling with three for 17.

Off-spin all-rounder Pete Salmon, 62, and national batsman Shacaya Thomas, 52, contributed most runs for the losers.

"It was a good game by us, and for the spectators," said Bonner, captain of St Catherine CA.

"We fell short, I believe, by about 40 runs, but our bowlers, really put the pressure on them," he declared.

Meanwhile, Garwaine Johnson, coach of St Catherine CC, while applauding Bonner, said mistakes led to the undoing of his team.

"It's a hard one to take, but credit to Bonner, he played well, and they were able to pull it off," Johnson said. "We played hard, but made some mistakes, which cost us. But we are St Catherine CC, and have a good team, and will bounce back and qualify for the quarter-finals."

The victory pushed St Catherine CA to three wins from as many outings, while the loss was St Catherine CC's first in three games.

The winners and runners-up from each of the tournament's four zones will progress to the quarter-finals.