Saint Lucia are in the driver’s seat after the second round of matches in the Windward Islands Cricket Board Men’s Super 50. The home team trounced St Vincent & the Grenadines on Tuesday at Mindoo Phillip Park, their second triumph in as many games. Saint Lucia won by five wickets with more than 23 overs in hand.
For the second game in a row, Keon Gaston tore into the top order, removing Ethan Gibson for a duck in his first over. Shawnil Edward also had Jeheil Walters for two, in just the third over. Senior batters Desron Maloney and Sunil Ambris staged a recovery, adding 39 runs before Gaston got Ambris for 13.
Maloney was joined by Keron Cottoy, with the pair enjoying a half-century partnership that took the score to triple figures. A rash attempt at a single led to Gaston running out Cottoy for 32.
Shadrack Descarte trapped Dillon Douglas leg before for nine, a comedown from the century the day prior against Dominica.
Back into the attack, Gaston got Maloney caught behind for 61. The next delivery, a short ball, did for Tijourn Pope, who departed without scoring.
The eighth wicket fell in the 30th over, Othneil Lewis for seven to Jaden Elibox. The Vincies had no hope of replicating the 400 runs they put up on Monday at this venue, but a rearguard action took them past 200.
Gaston returned, however, tempting Asif Hooper to give Johnnel Eugene a catch in the deep. It was Gaston’s fifth wicket, and Hooper fell on 44.
Shawnil Edward wrapped things up by removing Jerremy Haywood for 23, with the final score 211 all out. Gaston got 5-45, and Edward 2-36.
In the reply, after losing captain Kimani Melius cheaply, Saint Lucia got runs from Noelle Leo, Johnnel Eugene, and Ackeem Auguste as they cruised to victory. Leo hit 55 off just 37 balls. Eugene, who was unbeaten, made a slightly more circumspect 51 from 49. Auguste smashed 48 from 27 balls, as Saint Lucia got to the target in the 27th over.
Auguste and Leo added 83 runs for the second wicket, taking the score to 100 in only the 10th over. Auguste hit seven fours and two sixes. Leo hit six fours and four sixes in his knock.
Saint Lucia close out the preliminaries on Thursday at Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, where they will play Dominica. Dominica beat Grenada by 119 runs on Tuesday at DSCG, leaving the men from the Spice Isle winless.
