Nevis Retains Masters’ Championship
Sports Page — After a busy weekend of intriguing matches, it all came down to one deciding game late on Sunday 8th June.
It was the grand finals of the 2014 edition of the Leeward Islands Masters’ Cricket tournament being played in Nevis.
The stage was well and truly set with Nevis coming up against Anguilla at the ET Willet Park.
Nevis’ captain Carl Tuckett, won the toss and surprisingly opted to bowl first. This proved to be a correct strategy however, as the Nevisian bowlers generally maintained a strangle hold on the Anguillan batsmen.
To prove the point, by the end of the 10th over, Anguilla had still not managed to get 50 runs on the tins.
They eventually struggled to 101 for 9 from their allotted 20 overs.
When Nevis batted, openers Carl Tuckett and Merlin Liburd, entertained the huge crowd with a wide selection of exquisite shots. They were parted with only about 10 runs required for victory and Merlin Liburd batted to the end to ensure that there were no undue mishaps.
Summarized scores: Anguilla -101 for 9 in 20 overs: Neville Hamilton 17*; Kali Rogers 17; Kenroy Prince 16; Keithley Phillip 15; Lawrence Carty 13
Brian Dyer 3 for 23; Sterling Heyliger 2 for 9; Rudy Browne 2 for 29; Frank Monzac 1 for 8 from 4 overs and Charles Hendrickson 1 for 14
Nevis -105 for 3 from 12.2 overs: Carl Tuckett 49; Merlin Liburd 46*
Nevis secured championship honours by winning the match by 7 wickets.
In the two exciting semi final matches played earlier that same day at the same venue, Anguilla upset Antigua in semi final two.
Summarized scores: Antigua 125 for 6 from 15 overs: Elroy Francis 50; Pernell Joseph 40
Neville Hamilton 2 for 15; Eversley Browne 2 for 17; Richard Bradshaw 1 for 13
Anguilla 126 for 5 in 14.1 overs: Terry Adams 32*; Lawrence Carty 23; Neville Hamilton 16; John Jeffers 14; Kenroy Prince 14
Franklyn Francis 2 for 22; Robert Browne 1 for 22; Ian Gore 1 for 29
Anguilla won by 5 wickets
In the other semi final encounter, it was the proverbial ‘battle of the narrows,’ as Nevis engaged St.Kitts.
Summarized scores: St.Kitts -132 for 7 in 15 overs: Junie Mitchum 34; Phillip Webbe 24; Colin Saddler 23
Rudy Browne 3 for 27; Wendell Wallace 2 for 29; Patrick Newton 1 for 12 and Frank Monzac 1 for 25
Nevis 136 for 3 in 14.2 overs: Carl Tuckett 52; Curtis Morton 44*; Cordell Walters 17
B. Harris 2 for 25; Junie Mitchum 1 for 13
Nevis won by 7 wickets
Here are some scores from other matches played over the weekend:
St.Kitts -164 for 7 from 20 overs: Junie Mitchum 43; Luther Kelly 28; L. Leader 21*; Phillip Webbe 17; A. Hendrickson 16
J. George 3 wickets; D. George 2
St.Maarten 111 for 6 in 20 overs: Dango Farrell 32*; R. Baptiste 16;
J. George 13*
Leader 3 wickets; Raymond 2 and Harris 1
St.Kitts won by 53 runs
St. Croix 120 all out in 19 overs: Clifford Walwyn 31; Winston Sutton 20; S. Huggins 15; K. Cornelius 14
C. Dupree 3 wickets; J. George 2; Dango Farrell 2
St.Maarten 121 for 3 in 17 overs: S. Evans 76; R. Baptiste 15
Winston Sutton and Elliot got 1 wicket each
St.Maarten won by 7 wickets
Antigua 184 for 5 in 20 overs: W. Matthew 55; Greg Skepple 40; Ian Gore 26
Clancy Clair 3 wickets; J. George 1
St.Maarten 131 for 9 in 20 overs: B. Ryan 39; J. George 16
Ian Gore 5 wickets; Williams and Francis 1 wicket each
Antigua won by 53 runs
St.Kitts 107 all out in 18 overs: Colin Saddler 19; Luther Kelly 13; Junie Mitchum 10
Winston Sutton 3 for 16; M. Bissette 3 for 22; Dave Liburd 1 for 7
St.Croix 93 all out in 19 overs
Junie Mitchum 3 for 18; Luther Kelly 3 for 22; B. Harris 2 for 14
St.Kitts won by 14 runs
Antigua 161 for 6 in 20 overs: Greg Skepple 62*; Elroy Francis 27; Walton Matthew 21; Deon Everson 20
D. Liburd 2 for 14; Elliot 2 for 21; S. Huggins 2 for 22
St. Croix 161 for 7: S. Huggins 34; Winston Sutton 33; K. Elliot 16 and R. Cornelius 13
Elroy Francis 2 for 35; R. Browne 1 for 16; Deon Williams 1 for 34
Match adjudged as a tie
Nevis 164 for 3: Merlin Liburd 74; Cordell Walters 39*; Carl Tuckett 21
Rogers; Jeffers and Bradshaw 1 wicket each
Anguilla 151 for 4 in 20 overs: K. Carty 37; Kali Rogers 26
Frank Monzac 2 wickets and Rudy Browne 1
Nevis won by 13 runs
Nevis 164 for 4 from 20 overs: Junior Mills 54; Merlin Liburd 51; Alexis Browne 24 and Brian Dyer 16*
Wrenford 3 wickets and Hamish Anthony 1
St. Thomas 137 all out in 19.3 overs: Hamish Anthony 45; J. Anthony 41
Frank Monzac; Merlin Liburd and Wendell Wallace got 2 wickets each, while Brian Dyer and Charles Hendrickson got 1 each
Nevis winning by 27 runs
Antigua 137 for 7: Deon Everson 34*; Elroy Francis 32; Purnell Joseph 24
B. Harris 2 for 31; Hendrickson; Williams; Leader and Mitchum 1 wicket each.
St.Kitts 114 all out in 19 overs: Junie Mitchum 67; Eustace Wallace 22
Elroy and Franklyn Francis 2 wickets each; Purnell Joseph 2
Antigua won by 23 runs
At the presentation ceremony held immediately after the finals, the following awards were made:
Top batsman of the tournament—Merlin Liburd of Nevis
Top bowler –Frank Monzac of Nevis
Top fielder—Wrensford—St.Thomas
Top wicket keeper—Livingstone Harris—St.Thomas
1st place team—Nevis
2nd place team—Anguilla