Saint Lucia got off to a winning start on Monday in the Windward Islands Cricket Board Men’s Super 50, beating Grenada by 48 runs at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground. Ackeem Auguste hit a half-century and Keon Gaston starred with bat and ball for the home team.
Sent to bat, the youthful Saint Lucians rang up 307 all out in 48.4 overs. At the top of the order, Auguste made 51 from 57 balls. Noelle Leo fell for just four, but Kimani Melius hit 27 off 24 balls to give the batting side a firm platform.
A torrid knock of 45 from 37 by Shadrack Descarte handed the initiative to the Helenites. Tarrique Edward made 30 off 40, as the pair added 83.
Gaston fattened the tally with an unbeaten 43 in 48 legal deliveries. Shawnil Edward added a run-a-ball 32 as the last man out, and that pairing yielded 73.
Faced with a significant chase, the men from the Spice Isle were soon undone by Windward Islands pacer Gaston. He took two early wickets, and Descarte added a third to put the visitors on the back foot inside the first five overs.
The Murray twins, Kirt and Kirtsen, rallied with a partnership of 74. Kirt fell for 50 and Kirtsen 37, effectively ending the resistance. With the asking rate climbing, Jaden Elibox and Shawnil Edwars helped clean up the tail, as Grenada was dismissed for 259 in 45 overs.
Gaston finished with 3-30, Elibox 2-33, and Edward 2-40. Descarte took 2-53. McKenny Clarke was also called into action.
On Tuesday at Mindoo Phillip Park, Saint Lucia face the formidable St Vincent & the Grenadines, who dominated defending champions Dominica in their opening match at that venue on Monday.
