GROS Islet Under- 19 Cricket Team are Champions of the Inaugural Saint Lucia National Cricket Association 50 over Sandals Cup. The boys from the north of the island made light work of Babonneau U19s last Sunday in the grand finals played at the Mindoo Phillip Park.
Gros Islet played unbeaten throughout the tournament defeating Babonneau by six wickets. Babonneau won the toss and batted first and was dismissed for 112 in 41.4 overs with Zayee Antoine batting at No.7 top scoring with 30. Opening batsman Caleb Thomas, 26 and Ryan Goodman in at No.6 chipped in with 11.
The other batsmen for Babonneau – Ethron Charles 1, Quaine Henry 0, AckeemAuguste 5, Rashad Gaston 5, Amari Venner 1, Craig Elisee 7, Nyheem Rosemond 7 and Zidane remain not out 1.
Fall of wickets – 1 for 21,2 for 26, 3 for 36, 4 for 43, 5 for 45, 6 for 63, 7 for 64, 8 for 103, 9 for 105, all out 112.
Bowling for Gros Islet, Simeon Gerson bagged 3 for 21 in 10 overs, Dominic Auguste picked up 2 for 5 in 5.5 overs, Rene Montoute took 2 for 23 in 10 overs, Tyrel Chicot had 2 for 25 in 5 overs and Lee Solomon 1 for 11 in 5 overs.
Needing 113 for victory and to hoist the inaugural championship trophy, Gros Islet, led by a fiery knock of 40 from 15 balls that included three 6s and four 4s by West Indies Under-19 opening batsman Kimani Melius. He was pretty hashed on Babonneau opening bowler Craig Elisee who conceded 30 runs that included 5 wides, 3 no balls, two 6s, two 4s and a two.
Kimani and Dane Edward posted the 50 partnership in 3.4 overs.
Kimani was eventually out caught at backward square leg off the bowling of Nyheem Rosemond for 40 with the score on 68 for 1.
Next in was Jard Goodman who wasted no time. His first scoring shot was a sweetly timed cover drive for 4, just before losing his partner Dane Edward for 25 caught off the bowling of Zayee Antoine with the score on 78 for 2.
Lee Solomon did not last too long bowled by Nyheem Rosemond for 1 with a beauty of a delivery which came back to clip the off stump with the score on 87 for 3.
Garvin Serieux was next in, but it was the siblings Jard Goodman and Ryan Goodman who made the contest interesting. Jard the older of the two looking to hoist his brother Ryan over the deep mid-off boundary was out caught for a well-played 29 with the score on 109 for 4.
When victory was achieved Garvin Serieux and Tyrel Chicot remain on 8 and 1 not out respectively.
Bowling for Babonneau, Nyheem Rosemond picked up 2 for 27 in 4 overs; Ryan Goodman had 1 for 1 in 1 over and Zayee Antoine 1 for 25 in 3 overs.
In a brief ceremony held after the match, officials from tournament Sponsors, Sandals and the Saint Lucia National Cricket Association shared similar sentiments as to the level of play exhibited throughout the tournament, after which the championship trophy was presented to Gros Islet team Captain Kimani Melius.
Sandals promised in the next few days to host a special awards ceremony to present outstanding players and the championship team with their respective awards.
