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If it were a boxing contest it would be correct to say that The Lodge School dominated the early rounds.

It would, however, be just as accurate to say that a few soft jabs dealt them their most telling blows.

Lodge ended the opening day of the Cable and Wireless Under-15 against Queen's College on 207 for six. But the St John school will quickly want to forget the manner in which some of their batsmen gifted their wickets against their St James opponents in the East-West duel at the Cable & Wireless BET Sports Complex.

Slow full-tosses, supposedly the easiest ball to despatch in the game of cricket, claimed the wickets of four Lodge boys, including Nicholas Squires, their captain, leading batsman and Barbados Under-15 representative, along with semifinal hero Andre Gill.

Lodge, in spite of the succession of soft dismissals, can feel contented with their effort after they were sent in on a slowish surface that gained criticism from some spectators.

I am very satisfied, seeing the nature of the pitch. It wasn't too good for strokeplay, but the guys applied themselves well, Lodge coach Clifton Phillips said.

Everybody is really focused and chipping in here and there. I am happy. The left-handed Squires started the pattern that was mirrored by some of his teammates immediately after the first drinks break when he helped leg-spinner Selwyn Atherley's fourth ball down the throat of deep mid-wicket.

The pint-sized Atherley won the hearts of many because he was never afraid to flight the ball and collected a further two wickets, albeit again with the help of full-tosses.

This is something I cannot explain, especially some of the key batsmen, Phillips said. These things happen in the game, but I thought that the other guys rallied.

Gill, who made a face-saving century in the semifinal when Lodge were reeling on 28 for eight against Alexandra, announced his entry by pulling National Sports Council Under-13 medium-pacer Christopher Jordan for six over square-leg and onto the ABC Highway.

But when Atherley served him up with a full-pitch in the first ball of a new spell, he could do no better than hit it back to the bowler.

Atherley also removed big Mark Trotman with another full-toss that was struck to mid-wicket. Trotman made 39, the same score Pierre Atwell will resume on this morning.

The one key batsman who did not succumb to an air-ball was the gifted Shamarh Brooks. He looked a class act in making 23 before off-spinner Niaz Dokrat deceived him and induced him into providing a return catch.

Following the wicket of Trotman, Nicholas Hughes gave a return catch from yet another full-toss to bring Queen's College back on even keel at 158 for six.

They could have applied more pressure had Atherley not missed a return catch when Atwell was 11. As it turned out, Atwell and opener Rio Brathwaite stayed around to feature in an unbroken seventh-wicket partnership of 49, the highest of the innings.

Brathwaite, unbeaten on 26, batted through the first session before a bout of cramp forced him to retire hurt just after lunch when he was 19.

The chance Atwell gave was one of three Queen's College put down.

We were set back by a couple of missed chances early in the game. That made the difference, said Queen's College games master Mike Gaskin.

However, I believe the team played well. The bowlers stuck to the task. They are not accustomed to playing in the field for a whole day. Tomorrow we need to come into the game more positive than we were at the end of this day.

Once we get them out, it is just a matter of first innings lead. I don't think that it is going to be a win situation. If they bat for one and a half days, I don't see why we can't bat for the remainder of the game.

© The Barbados Nation