ANGUILLA/CARIBE LUMBER BALLPARK— Antigua sent a clear message to its competitors—the defending Nagico One Day Cricket Champions mean business. Antigua scuttled Anguilla by six wickets on Monday at the start of the tournament at the James Ronald Webster Park in Anguilla. Anguilla batted first setting 264 for 5; in reply, Antigua scored 265 for 4. Javin Williams was the high scoring batsman for Antigua with 92 runs; Orlando Peters with 69 runs and Wilden Cornwall with 40. For Anguilla, Jamar Hamilton scored 50 runs and Chesny Hughes had 47 runs. Terry Adams and Junior Johnson scored 40 and 42 runs not out respectively. The outstanding performer was Larry Joseph who two wickets for Antigua. Antigua will next do battle today with the British Virgin Islands at the same venue in Anguilla.
SXM CRUSH BVI.
John Eugene asserted himself as one of the best in Leeward Islands cricket after being the only player in the Nagico One Day Cricket Tournament so far to score a century plus a five wicket haul from Asa Edwards helped St Maarten to a 134 run win over the BVI in one of the first matches of the 2009 staging of the tournament yesterday at the Caribe Lumber Ball Park in St. Maarten. BVI started inflicting wounds early on St. Maarten taking the wicket of Sherwin Peters, LBW for duck and Romain Doodnauth for 14. Experienced batsman Royston Trocard was caught by Gavin Singh from the bowling of De Freitas on eight; Moreland Le Blanc was gone for four, with the score on 28.
It was left to Anil Persaud and John Eugene to repair the damages and with a spirited 88 run partnership, St. Maarten was on the road to recovery.
St. Maarten captain team Lionel Ritchie helped Eugene when he time came producing a beautiful 81 run partnership, the second highest partnership of the day. Eugene went on to strike a brilliant century before he was caught by Pipe for 116, with the score on 237.
Chasing 270 to win turned out to be an uphill task for the BVI and after 10 overs; they were on 55 for 3. Due to rain, the 50 over match was reduced to 42. The BVI were reeling on 91-6 and at the end of the 22nd over, they had reached 106 for 6. Eventually they reached 136 all out.