T&T Red Force player Tion Webster, who was overlooked for the West Indies Four-Day Championship clash against the Leeward Islands that is currently ongoing, gave the national selectors a reminder of his prowess when he slapped a century on the opening day of action at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Twenty20 (T20) Cricket Tournament at St Augustine on Saturday.
Playing for Queen’s Park against Merryboys in the third match of the day, Webster hammered 106 not out off just 59 balls to take his team to 206 for four off their 20 overs. He was well supported by fellow hard-hitter and last year’s player of the tournament Daron Cruickshank, who made 52 off 34 balls. Nicholas Alexis also joined in the fun with 38 off 31 balls. Bowling for Merryboys, Rishaard Harris took 2/30 and Atiba Allert 2/34.
Merryboys made a good run at the total but when Leonardo Julien fell for 61, their change fizzled out and they ended on 168/6 off their 20 overs. Hakeem Mitchell lent good support to Julien, getting 33 off 22 and former national player Aneil Kanhai made 20 off 13. Akeal Hosein, who has been in good form, continued his impressive spin bowling by taking 2/34.
Earlier in the day, Queen’s Park opened the tournament with a handsome 49-run win over Endeavour. Alexis made a 36-ball 59 and Hosein counted 29, as Queen’s Park made 169/8 off their 20 overs. Kapil Harry 3/20 and Jonathan Williams 3/38 kept Endeavour in the match. When they responded, Hosein ended a good all-round match by capturing 3/13, as they crashed to 120 all out. Terrence Hinds was also excellent claiming 4/21, as the efforts of Michael Harry 33 and Earnil Ryan 22 were not enough.
In game two, Merryboys also defeated Endeavour effectively putting them out of the tournament. Spinner Javid Ramdhanie was almost impossible to play, as he grabbed three wickets for nine runs in bowling out Endeavour for 108. Julien then made an unbeaten 41 off 31 balls and Reynaldo Sammy scorched 40 off 25 to ensure a massive nine-wicket win for the Patna Boys.
UWI NATIONAL T20 SCORES
Prelim 1
QPCC – 169/8 (20) (Nicholas Alexis 59, Akeal Hosein 29, Kapil Harry 3/20, Jonathan Williams 3/38) vs Endeavour 120 all out (18.5) (Michael Harry 33, Earnil Ryan 22, Terrance Hinds 4/21, Akeal Hosein 3/13, Tion Webster 2/15) - QPCC win by 49 runs
Man of the Match – Akeal Hosein
Prelim 2
Endeavour 108 all out (18.2) (Reshawn Gueverra 27, Michael Harry 19, Javid Ramdhanie 3/9, Nathaniel Mc David 2 /5) vs Merry Boys – 109/1 (12.4)(Leonardo Julien 41no, Reynaldo Sammy 40, Mario Belcon 24) - Merry Boys win by 9 wkts
Man of the Match – Javid Ramdhanie
Prelim 3
QPCC – 206/4 (20) (Tion Webster 106no, Daron Cruickshank 52, Nicholas Alexis 38, Rishaad Harris 2/30, Atiba Allert 2/34) vs Merry Boys 168/6 (20) (Leonardo Julien 61, Hakeem Mitchell 33, Aneal Kanhai 20, Akeal Hosein 2/34) - QPCC win by 38 runs
Man of the Match – Tion Webster.