Police, the pre-series leaders and front-runners for most of the season, had to settle for one point against BNB St. Catherine. Police made a gallant effort for victory, but St. Catherine were able to keep their last three wickets in tact.

Spartan's win, their fourth of the season, has pushed them to 37 points, two more than Police after the seventh series of matches.

At Queen's Park:

Spartan survived a few minor scares before beating Carlton.

Set 127 to win in 35 overs after Carlton fell for 171 in the second innings, the Parkites reached the target in the 30th over in fading light.

Kerry Lucas had four boundaries in a polished 41 and together with left-hander Philip Spooner (21) added 33 for the fifth wicket.

After both fell Aaron Barker, Dave Marshall and Rowehan Walcott added the finishing touches. Hendy Broomes captured five for 57 to get 11 for 111 in the match.

At Weymouth ``A'':

Dayne Maynard and Roger Blades defied Police in an unbroken eighth wicket stand of 30 to steer St. Catherine to safety.

The pair came together with 6.1 overs left of the mandatory 15 with St. Catherine struggling on 69 for seven.

To complicate matters for St. Catherine, one of their batsmen, Shawn Sargeant, was handicapped by a dislocated finger.

Maynard, who came to the crease at 31 for five, was unbeaten on 43 which included one six and four fours. He faced 43 balls and batted 79 minutes.

Blades' unbeaten 15 included a six and a four. He faced 20 deliveries in 30 minutes at the crease.

Police, resuming on 144 for one declared at 234 for six, leaving St. Catherine to score 189 in a minimum 37 overs.

At St. James Secondary:

Cable & Wireless BET convincingly defeated CHIC Schools North by eight wickets after a bowling haul of five wickets for 14 runs by pacer Adrian Brathwaite sent the schoolboys tumbling for 54 in their second innings.

BET, resuming on their first innings on 84 for three , progressed to 120 for six.

Medium-pacer Pedro DePeiza took a hat-trick. He removed top scorer Ryan Hurley for 73, Antonio Mayers for 23 and Errol Barrow without scoring.

This was the North's only bright spark as their bats faltered steadily.

At Barclays:

The powerful shoulders of Maple's Pedro Agard and sensible batting by former youth team player Don O'neal lifted the St. James club to an enthralling four-wicket victory over CHIC Schools South.

Needing a mere 85 for victory, Maple started disastrously when they lost opener Keith Burgess without a run on the scoreboard; and after the first session they were toiling at 39 for four.

O'neal and captain Andy Payne then led a recovery which brought the score to 62, but a double-strike from spinner Jedson Yarde gave the Schools a ray of hope.

Agard however was to have the final say, as he 'charged' Stephenson on consecutive deliveries, each of which was struck with tremendous power to the boundary to bring the match to an abrupt end.

At Bank Hall:

A six-wicket haul by leg-spinning all-rounder Sherlon Greaves helped Empire to secure first innings points over Pickwick in their drawn match.

Greaves finished with six for 47 off 12.2 overs as Pickwick, replying to Empire's first innings score of 242, added another 50 runs in losing their last three wickets.

Hendy Hinds hit an unbeaten 54 for Pickwick, while Shawn Graham was also left not out 57 in Empire's second innings when the match was called off with the home team on 171 for four.

At The Brewery:

A fine bowling performance by off-spinner David Sealy with seven for 74, was the main reason in Banks securing first innings points over Cockspur Wanderers.

Wanderers, chasing 312, resumed from their overweek score of 130 for three and were bowled out in two overs after tea, trailing Banks by exactly one hundred runs.

Banks, in their second innings, were helped along by a hurricane 69 by wicket-keeper Mark Estwick before the match was called off.

At Blenheim ``A'':

Despite the heroic efforts of openers Leon Layne (82) and Adrian Jones (48) which enabled YMPC to set a target of 209, the match ended in a tame draw.

BCL gave up the chase after a 72-run fourth wicket partnership between Donville Brathwaite who was bowled by occasional bowler Layne for 47 and Kamal Turney, revived BCL's hope which was followed by a quickfire 16 by Carl Chapman.

Stephen Brathwaite with 16 not out kept the scoring rate moving.

Earlier, Winston Herbert led the BCL fightback by capturing five for 37.

Coverage by Philip Spooner, Philip Hackett, Petra-Ann Peters, Ryan Holford, Bernard Babb, Ancille Inniss and Owen Estwick.