Kingston College (KC) improved their chances of making it to the final of the urban area ISSA Grace Shield cricket competition after registering an outright win in their semi-final match against St Catherine High at Elletson Road yesterday.

The Purples, who fell to newcomers Innswood on first innings in their first encounter of the eight-team semi-final round play-offs, after resuming the day on 177-8, were dismissed for 187, this for a first-innings lead of 66 runs.

St Catherine, who had made 121 in their first innings, were then bowled out for 127, thus setting KC a victory target of 64 runs. KC, behind 31 from Chris Harrison and 24 from opener Ajanie Burton, then raced to 65-1.

Behind Innswood

KC, with the victory, moved to six points, three behind Innswood, who claimed first innings over Calabar at Red Hills Road in the section's other game, and could extend their lead should they be able to record an outright win on today's second day.

Calabar batted first and made 92 with Oneil Davy getting 38 against pacer Dwayne Pusey 3-15, and leg-spinners Andra Henry, 3-18, and Jermaine Bennett, 3-36.

Innswood in reply made 158, this for a first innings lead of 66, with Kemar Foster scoring 42 and Orane Williams 24. Mario Grant, 5-33, took most wickets for the green-and-black clad boys.

Calabar, batting a second time, closed at 45-2, still 21 runs behind on first innings.

Over in Section Two, which had its matches starting yesterday, Excelsior, behind an all-round performance from national youth player, Ramon Senior, took first innings from pre-match favourites Waterford at Mountain View Avenue, while champions Eltham were on the verge of taking first innings points from "A" League champions, Campion High, at Hope Road.

Senior, bowling off spin, first took 3-59 to help restrict Waterford to 177. Oshane Greeves, 56, and national youth pacer, Vander Rowe, 40, topscored for the boys from Portmore, with leg-spinner Anthony Wadsworth claiming 4-44.

Excelsior then replied with 214-8 with Senior top-scoring with 48 against off-spinner Peter Harrison, 5-80 and Rowe, 3-70.

At Campion, Eltham first posted 329-7 declared with pacer Romeo Dunca making 112 and Romeo Parker 84 against pacers Brad Gillings, 2-37, and Brent Marston 3-63. Campion at the close reached 74-9 with Gillings, 30, making most runs against pacers Kavin Bonner 4-24, and Shawn Hedlam 3-2.