Back-to-back five-fers earned Tarrique Edward two player of the match awards at the weekend, as the Saint Lucia High Performance Centre swept their 50-over series against the Sint Maarten Select XI in Philipsburg. The home team had won their first of three T20 encounters last week, with the second rained out.
On Saturday, the Sint Maarteners were bowled out for 148 in 32 overs. Devanand Singh took Devanand Singh for 16 from 24 balls. The other opener, Mike Lewis, fell to Elibox for 29 from 32. A 46-run stand ensued between Tyanick Honore (70) and Mirnal Wadhaa (8).
But once Edward dislodged Wadhwa, he and Dornan Edward scythed through the middle and lower order. Not another batter got into double figures. Rather, five were dismissed without scoring. Tarrique ended with 5-40, and Dornan with 3-20, the latter conceding just two runs per over.
Conversely, the HPC needed a middle-order recovery to overhaul the target, winning by one wicket, Jaden Elibox made 23, and Vernilius Gabriel 22, batting sixth and fifth, respectively. Lower-order batters Bolton Sayers and Tyrel Chicot each added 19, and Dornan Edward made a crucial 13.
In the second 50-over match, the hosts were all out 133 in 31.2 overs. Again, Tarrique Edward ripped through the latter part of the innings, taking Akeem Charles for a team-high 35 in the 17th over with the score on 100. He then had Wadhwa again for one, Sherwin Peters for 11, then finally Jammel Mohmmed and Jathan Edward for a duck, within three balls of one another. Tarrique took 5-19 in eight overs, and Cody Fontenelle 2-22 in 7.2 overs.
Khan Elcock hit a rapid-fire 16 from 18 balls, and Theo Edward produced 12 from 20 at the top of the chase. But it was when Vernilius Gabriel and Tarrique Edward came together that the door was shut for Sint Maarten. They started their partnership with the score at 69-3 in the 14th over, and carried the team to victory. Edward smashed an unbeaten 43 off 30 balls, with two fours and four sixes. Gabriel was also not out, stroking 37 from 49 balls, with two fours and as many sixes.
