WEST Indian cricketer Franklyn Rose showed his Test match class to beat off some of the best strong arms in the North-East, writes CHRISTEN PEARS.

The Jamaican fast bowler was the only competitor to hurl a cricket ball beyond the 100 metre mark, to comfortably win The Northern Echo's Greatest Throw on Earth competition on Wednesday.

The left hander joined seven other competitors who had qualified for the final during the earlier rounds held at the Riverside throughout the summer.

For good measure, he extended his winning distance of 100m by throwing the ball 108.4 metres with a second attempt.

The throw, which delighted the big crowd at Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside ground, at Chester-le-Street, landed him the first prize of a £200 DVD player, donated by Northern Electric and Gas.

But he failed by just over 20 metres to become £5,000 richer, by smashing a 119-year-old world record.

The Northern Echo put up the prize for anyone beating the all-time longest throw.

The record, which is one of the oldest in sport, was set by left-hander's Robert Percival during an Easter Monday competition on the Sands racecourse in Durham City, in April 1882.

Rose, this season's professional with North-East Premier League club Sunderland, pledged to be back next year to have another crack at beating Percival's 128.6 metres (422ft) throw.

The 28-year-old West Indian believes he can come closer to threatening the record but the Victorian sportsman retains his place in the Guinness Book of World Records for the time being.

Rose said: "I needed a bit more of a warm up and I'm always careful about injuring my shoulder. I've thrown an extra ten yards in practice back home in the Caribbean, and with the right footwear and a more of a warm-up I think I could get at least another 15 yards."

The final of the long-throw contest provided the entertainment between innings at last night's floodlit Norwich Union League game between Durham Dynamos and Hampshire Hawks.

A spokeswoman for Durham County Cricket Club said: "The competition generated a lot of interest during the heats and there wasn't enough time for everyone who wanted to have a go to take part.

"We had a near capacity crowd at the match on Wednesday and everyone seemed to be enjoying the final.

"It was shown on the big screen and the announcer really made an effort to get everyone involved.