National cricket trials continued this past weekend, with two 50-overs games at the Mindoo Phillip Park in Castries.
Sabinus Emmanuel and Tyrel Chicot put their hands up on Day 1. Murgaran Shoulette, Jaden Elibox, Ackeem Auguste, Stephen Naitram, Vernilius Gabriel, and Jamaal James were the standout players on Day 2.
In the first match, Team B, under the captaincy of Ackeem Auguste, won the toss and chose to bat. They amassed 216-7 in a game reduced to 39 overs. Opening the batting, Emmanuel posted a total of 53 from 57 balls, with four fours and two sixes.
Chicot, coming down the order, was unbeaten after bludgeoning an unbeaten 61 off 45 balls, hoisting five sixes, and hitting three fours. He added 92 in partnership with Auguste, who was himself unbeaten on 33 from 24 balls. The former West Indies Under-19 skipper allowed only three dot balls.
Wickets were evenly spread. Dillan John took two, whilst Shawnil Edward, James, Z Antoine, Royce Paul, and Simeon Gerson took one each.
In reply, Team A (led by Kimani Melius) were bundled out for 87 in under two hours, facing just 20 overs. Four batters got into double figures, led by Quaine Henry with 27. But Chicot starred with the ball, taking 3-15 from five overs. Tyler Sookwa and Dane Edward added two apiece, Keon Gaston, Elibox, and Sky Lafeuille chipped in with one each.
On Day 2, it was more of the same. Team A opted to bat, and made 131 all out in 29.5 overs. James got 44 in 55 balls, stroking four fours. Melious hit 28 at the top of the order. Elibox took 3-22, Sookwa 2-20, and Lafeuille 2-25, whilst Chicot and Gaston both had one.
Given a revised target of 240, Team B surpassed that total in just 28.4 overs, ending on 243-6. Naitram made 62 from 38 balls, blasting six sixes and three fours. Gabriel made 51 from 42 with six fours.
But it was Auguste doing the major damage, going for a massive 83 after facing just 38 balls, off 10 of which he did not score. Instead, he cleared the boundary nine times, and kept it on the ground three times, an incredible 66 runs coming from boundaries.
Shoulette took four wickets, conceding 20 runs in his five overs.
