Antigua and Barbuda recorded the largest win so far in the 2011 NAGICO/Leeward Islands One Day Cricket Tournament with a 223 run win over the British Virgin Islands (BVI) on Sunday. The match was played at the Conaree Cricket Grounds in St. Kitts. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, the defending champs piled on 309 runs for 7 in its 50 overs with a handsome performance from Mali Richards with 84 runs from 96 balls and Raheem Cornwall 78 from 2 balls. Orlando Peters and Justin Athanaze rounded out the batting for Antigua with 45 and 41 runs respectively.The BVI bowling seemed effective during the early part of the match but faltered midway in the Antiguan inning. Earl Prescott picked up 2 wickets for 46 runs for the BVI, Richard Fredricks 2 for 46, Neil Niles 1 for 35 and Dorian Auguiste 1 for 44.
In reply, the BVI could only muster 86 runs all out in 22 overs. Montgomery Butler registered 43 runs. Bowling for Antigua & Barbuda Gavin Tonge nabbed 5 for 2 and Larry Joseph 3 for 34. Antigua & Barbuda's next game will be October 5th vs Nevis at the Elquemedo Willet Park in Nevis.
St. Kitts on back foot after losing to Anguilla
In the day's other encounter, Anguilla pulled off a big win three wicket win against St. Kitts at the Warner Park in the St. Kitts capital of Basseterre. St. Kitts, sent in to bat after losing the toss, made 251 runs for 8 in 50 overs. Codville Rogers racked up 73 runs, Steve Liburd 38, Tashmail Mills 37 and Jacques Taylor 26. Bowling for Anguilla Yannick Leonard took 3 for 28 and Omari Banks 2 for 68.
Anguilla in reply got off to a slow start before Moncin Hodge (26 runs) and Chesney Hughes (67 runs) made a worthy partnership to keep the team in the match. The 47th over from St. Kitts proved to be costly as a many as 13 runs were recorded, including a six from Chesney Hughes and a four at a time when only 21 runs were needed to win. Shane Burton scored 21runs for Anguilla and L. Richardson 20 to round out Anguilla's batting attack. Bowling for St. Kitts, Elvin Berridge grabbed 6 wickets for 40 runs and Steve Liburd 1 for 63 runs.
With this win, Anguilla are placed in a position to qualify for the semi-finals having lost to St. Maarten last week in St. Maarten. Both St. Kitts and Anguilla will have to wait and see what happens in the St. Kitts vs. St. Maarten match at the Warner Park on Monday to determine who moves on to the semi-final. Anguilla's coach Cardigan Connor was pleased with the manner in which his team fought back to win the match. "After the break, St. Kitts came back well and they fought hard...in the end a couple of cricketers in Shaka Hodge and Walters, been orthodox at times, but they did us a great job in getting us over the line," Connor said. St. Kitts, Anguilla and St. Maarten are in Group B with the top two teams moving on to the semi-finals. If St. Kitts wins, the match will be decided on net run rate as all three teams would have a win. But manager of the St. Kitts team Leroy Percival is confident his team can bounce back and qualify for the semi-finals. "If we bat first, we have to score 260 or 300...if St. Maarten bat first we should try get them out for under 150 and them make 150 for less than five wickets....we can't be at home and not be in the semi-finals and finals," Percival said.
