Antigua booked their spot in the finals of the NAGICO Leeward Islands One Day Cricket Tournament with a comprehensive 132 run win against Anguilla. The match was the second semi-finals at the Warner Park in St. Kitts. Antigua and Barbuda will now face Nevis in the finals on Sunday at the same venue. Hayden Walsh Jr. was undoubtedly the most productive player on the pitch bowling three overs, all of which were maiden overs, taking two wickets without giving up any runs.Losing the toss, Antigua and Barbuda was sent in to bat and scored 270 for 8 in 50 overs. In reply, Anguilla could only muster up 138 runs in 39.8 overs. Antigua's Austin Richards scored 54 runs from 9 balls, Kerry Mentore 54 after spending 112 minutes in the crease facing 84 balls and Justin Athanaze 41 runs. Richards knocked four 4s and Mentore five 4s. Bowling for Anguilla Chesney Hughes took 3 wickets for 74 runs, Yannick Leonard 2 for 66 and Omari Banks 1 for 13. Shane Burton took a wicket for 27. Austin Richards and Kerry Mentore thrived in an impressive partnership that kept hopes alive for Antigua when they were looking vulnerable with the score at 166 for 5. Both improvised and delivered impressive shots that manipulated the gaps in the Anguilla's fielding.
In Anguilla's innings, Moncin Hodge hit a commendable 42 runs, Lyndell Richards 25, Jamar Hamilton 15 and Chaka Hodge 33. Apart from Walsh' impressive bowling stats, other Antigua bowlers Rahkeem Cornwall took 3 wickets for 60 runs, Larry Joseph 1 for 24 and Justin Athanaze 1 for 22.
The Anguilla innings started a bit promising with Lyndell Richardson and the only centurion in the tournament so far, Moncin Hodge building what would have been a thriving partnership. Hodge picked up the run rate with two consecutive boundaries for 4 and kept the pressure on his opponents. Lyndell Richardson then began his onslaught with 4 quick fours and a 6, exciting the spectators. But no sooner had he done this, the next play saw him racing trying to run a single with the ball not beyond the 30 meter circle. Hodge chose not to run, but Richardson was already in the middle of the pitch and began racing back to cover his crease to no avail. He was out for 25. Chesney Hughes, the next in line and a very experienced batsman was expected to settle in and aid Hodge in anchoring Anguilla's inning, but he failed miserably scoring just six runs before caught at slips by Antigua and Barbuda's wicket keeper Kerry Mentore from Rahkem Cornwall's bowling. If that was not enough Omari Banks then failed, after attempting a single that eventually cost him the wicket for just one run. Prior to his fall, Shane Burton was out for 1. At this moment, it was just over the 15th over and Anguilla was on 58 for 4; at this point in Antigua and Barbuda's inning, they were 40 without loss.
As the inning wore on, Anguilla lost further momentum despite a valiant effort by Moncin Hodge, who in the dying moment of the game was bowled by the productive Hayden Walsh Jr. At that point it was no looking back for the defending champs who wrapped up the match comfortably in front a very small crowd at the Warner Park.
Antigua's captain Austin Richards said his team is very confident now and they are enjoying themselves on the pitch. He said the team is united and they have a deep batting line up. "We don't have a tail end batsman. All these guys have scored first class centuries back home....I have a lot of confidence in these guys," Richards said. He is looking forward to the finals against Nevis, especially seeing that the Nevis team manager Elquemedo Willet is seeking revenge of the loss earlier this week in Nevis. The finals start at 9:30am.
