Leewards record first win in CT20

Pacer Kelbert Walters bowled the over of his life to give the Leeward Islands their first win in the 2013 edition of the regional T20 championships at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St Lucia last night.

The win came at the expense of the Combined Campuses and Colleges (CCC) and the match swung both ways until the final over by Walters. With the CCC needing seven runs with three wickets in hand, he conceeded just two runs, and helped by a run out, to hand his team a win by four runs.

SCOREBOARD
Leewards inns
L Richardson run out    0
K Powell b Austin    18
S Joseph c Corbin b Davis    3
C Hughes c Davis b Dewar    22
D Thomas c Walton b Austin    9
R Cornwall c Corbin b Austin    1
S Burton c Holder b Dewar    7
J Athanaze c F Reifer b R Reifer    31
K Walters c Walton b Dewar    0
G Tonge b Holder    25
A Martin not out    1
Extras lb3, w7    10
Total all out (19.4ovs)    127
Fall of wkts: 0, 18, 49, 55, 57, 68, 72, 81, 114, 127.   
Bowling: D Davis 4-0-22-1, J Holder 2.4-0-31-1, R Austin 4-0-17-3,  A Dewar 4-0-15-3, R Reifer 3-1-16-1, K Williams 2-0-23-0.

CCC inns
C Walton c Hughes b Cornwall    17
R Reifer run out    17
K Corbin run out    1
F Reifer c Thomas b Burton    25
S Ambris b Martin    25
R Wiggins c sub b Hughes    1
A Dewar run out    13
J Holder run out    20
D Davis not out    1
R Austin not out    1
Extras lb1, w1    2
Total for 8 wkts (20)    123
Fall of wkts: 21, 33, 56, 69, 72, 98, 121, 121. 
Bowling: A Martin 4-0-24-1, K Walters 4-0-18-0, J Athanaze 3-0-27-0, R Cornwall 2-0-11-1, C Hughes 4-0-20-1, S Burton 3-0-22-1.
Result: Leewards won by 4 runs.
Star of the match: Justin Athanaze.

After battling to post a fighting score of 127 all out with four balls of their 20 overs left, the Leewards were able to stifle the “Students,” as inexperience cost them in the end.

CCC started their chase in promising fashion with the openers getting 21 off 4.4 overs but at the fall of mainstay Chadwick Walton the wheels fell apart. Raymond Reifer scored a controlled 17 off 28 balls, the veteran Floyd Reifer got 25 off 22 balls with four fours, and towards the end Sunil Ambris hit a 23-ball 25.

At the fall of Ambris’ wicket CCC needed 30 runs from three overs and the writing was on the wall. However, West Indies fast bowler Jason Holder had other ideas and scorched a rapid 20 off eight balls with a four and two sixes to bring the CCC right back into the match. However, his unfortunate run out and that of Akeem Dewar, who scored 13 off 10 balls, cost the “Students” dearly in the end.

Earlier, the Leewards batsmen continued their struggles in this tournament but were able to put up their best effort to date. The innings started on the wrong note when Lendel Richardson was run out without scoring and skipper Sylvester Joseph fell for just three. Chesney Hughes and Keiran Powell started a counter attack and were able to put on 31 for the third wicket before Powell left for 18. Hughes would soon follow for a 20-ball 22. 

After their dismissals, a familiar collapse ensued and Leewards lost four wickets for the addition of 26 runs. The innings gained respectability thanks to Justin Athanaze and Garvin Tonge. Both men, using the long handle, decided to hit straight and were able to carry their side past the 100-run mark. 

Athanaze made 31 off 17 balls with two fours and two sixes, while Tonge was the last man out for 26 off 16 balls with three fours and a six. The CCC spinners did the damage with off-spinner Ryan Austin taking 3/17, leg-spinner Dewar 3/15 and left-arm spinner Derone Davis 1/22.