Bajan teenager slams 18 sixes in 213

BRIDGETOWN:  Left-handed 17-year-old opener Martin Nurse slammed an astounding double century for the Combined Schools team against the BCL as the 2003 Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division One season started on Saturday. Nurse hit 213 with 19 fours and 18 sixes to propel the Schools team to 350 for eight declared, and the BCL reached 83 for six in reply at stumps at the Lester Vaughan School. After a moderate First-Class debut for Barbados in the 2002 regional competition, Nurse restored his regional image with the batting award at the 2002 West Indies Under-19 Champion-ship in Jamaica during the summer.

He scored 334 runs to lead Barbados to the championship title. Elsewhere, former Test players Sherwin Campbell and Junior Murray got half centuries appearing for defending champions Banks against Maple at Trents. Left-arm spinner Anderson Sealy, who played for the West Indies “B” team in the 2003 regional season, captured five for 27 off eight overs as Maple plunged to 94 all out. Campbell and Grenadian Murray then both made 67 for Banks to score 191 for five declared, and Maple were struggling at 35 for three at stumps. Ex-West Indies wicket-keeper/batsman Thelston Payne, now 46 years old, struck 69 and Shawn Sargeant got 78 for St Catherine to reach 235 all out against Pickwick, who were 105 for five in reply. West Indies batsman Ryan Hinds made 45 for Pickwick.