NAGICO-LICA Cricket One Day Tournament
Williams Bowls Nevis to Victory over USVI - Anguilla Disposes of Montserrat.
By Rawle Nelson
In Photo seated left to right: NAGICO's Marketing Manager, Jasmine Payne; NAGICO's Managing Director, Mr. Eric Ellis; President of LICA, Mr. Gregory Shillingford and President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association, Mr. Ingleton Liburd.
Fourth round action in the Leeward Island Cricket Association NAGICO S sponsored One Day competition continued at Cayon with Nevis vs. USVI. Final scores in the match; Nevis 124 all out, USVI 114 all out.
The low scoring affair saw Nevis making 136 all out in 33 overs with Runako Morton top scoring with 38 which include four fours from 38 deliveries. USVI who had lost all of their three previous matches in this year's tournament seem bent on course for a victory after bundling out the mighty Nevis for such a low score. Leading the attack on the Nevisian batsmen were Calvin Lewis with eight overs with three for 32, Andrew Eusede with seven overs bagging three wickets for 26 runs and Dame Weston with seven overs capturing two wickets for 33 runs.
When USVI batted they were piling u their required runs nicely as it was evident that they ere smelling victory however after the 22nd over things fell apart and the team was bundled out for a disappointing 114 all out in 33.1 overs.
USVI suffered badly as Williams after being introduced later in the game bowled five overs where he had return figures of three wickets for 11 runs. Supporting him nicely was Trevier Smiithen who had eight overs with one maiden and collected two wickets for 28 runs.
Only Clifford Danis with a well played 43 ball 39 which included seven fours offered any real resistance. Manager of the Nevis team, Leroy Liburd while commending his charge for pulling off an unexpected victory noted that his team batted poorly and almost lost the game.
"We almost lost but what I can tell you is that we will be pumped up and ready for the game against St Kitts this weekend where we will be attempting to make it four victories in five matches," Liburd said. He noted that there are no celebrations for the USVI victory as they will be returning to the drawing board as they devise their strategy to confront teams in the remaining rounds of competition.
"We are working firstly to reach the semifinals after which we will focus on winning the competition which we are capable of doing. We are excited that Runako is in the team as you know that he is a tremendous asset to all of us and hopefully we will captivate on his presence and win the remaining matches;" Liburd stressed.
Meanwhile, a visibly upset USVI Manager, Lennox Galloway said that he can still smile as the guys performed to the best of their ability. He noted that the guys approached the match with high spirits, determination and confidence despite the fact that they were humiliated by Antigua the previous day. "When we had faced Antigua they had really humiliated us bowling the entire team out for 54 but the guys returned as they recognized that we just cannot give up and played their hearts out.
We have a very young team and we recognize that we are going through a building stage which evidently will take some time. However, the guys are upset as they had tasted victory but allowed it to slip through their hands and off their tongues. We just cannot allow this to happen again and I must admit that I am very happy with their fielding, bowling and most importantly their catching was superb," he noted.
He added," what we recognized is that our batting failed us and I am certain that with the confidence that they would have garnered from a match that they almost won we will certainly have a win before this competition concluded and I am very certain about that," Galloway declared.
And in other results Montserrat and Anguilla playing at the Molyneaux ground saw Anguilla coming out on top in yet another low scoring affair. Montserrat batting first made 120 all out in 41 overs with Mc Pherson Meade making 41 he was the only batsman to get past 20. Bowling for Anguilla Chessney Hughes had for wickets for 24 runs while Daniel Proctor and Kelbert Walters had two wickets apiece for 19 and 30 runs respectively.
Anguilla in reply made 121 for the loss of six wickets in 35.1 overs. Jamaal Hamilton made 28 while starring with the bat also was Chessney Hughes who contributed 27.
For Montserrat Trvior Semper had three for 18 with support coming from Tervin Osborne who had two for 32. Anguilla won by four wickets. Today is a rest day with round five action returning tomorrow.