NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Windward Islands produced a limp batting effort as Somerset whipped them by 17 runs to clinch their first win of the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship yesterday.
Chasing a hardly imposing 140 for victory, the Windwards never mounted a serious challenge and capitulated to 122 for nine from their allotted overs at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
The defeat was their first following their commanding win over Combined Campuses and Colleges in their opening game on Monday, and it left Group A wide open with all four teams on four points after two matches.
Somerset, winning the toss and batting, were lifted by Jos Buttler’s top score of 47, as the Windwards bowlers constructed a workmanlike effort to ensure the target remained manageable.
They were then let down by their batsmen, however, with only opener Johnson Charles with 36 and Gary Mathurin, 27, showing any enterprise, as leg-spinner Max Waller claimed three for 16 with support from opening pace bowlers Alfonso Thomas (2-18), Gemaal Hussain (2-19).
When Charles banged the first ball of the innings from Thomas square for four, the Windwards seemed to be up for a fight but Andre Fletcher’s dismissal for nine at 16 for one in the second over, driving Hussain firmly to mid off, sparked a slide from which they never recovered.
Keddy Lesporis feathered a leg-side catch to the `keeper Buttler at 26 for two in the fourth over and Test batsman Devon Smith stroked two sparkling fours in nine before edging a cut off Waller to the `keeper, to leave the Windwards on 48 for three at the end of the seventh over.
Charles, who cracked four fours and a six off 31 balls, was one of two wickets for Waller as the Windwards lost three wickets for 11 runs in as many balls, to tumble to 65 for six.
Mathurin, whose 27 was run-a-ball and included a four and a six, found an ally in Liam Sebastien (10) to add 37 from 33 balls for the seventh wicket, but once Sebastien smashed a long hop from Thomas to George Dockrell at cover in the 17th over, Windwards’ hopes were crushed.
Earlier, Somerset were handed their impetus by Buttler who top-scored with a breezy 47 after the English County lost their way when their openers were removed cheaply.
The 20-year-old with only a handful of games under his belt after making his first class debut in 2009, blasted four fours and two sixes but more importantly was the mastermind behind two key partnerships.
Somerset started cautiously before Arul Suppiah (12) drove medium pacer Darren Sammy firmly to mid off where Lesporis jumped to haul in a good catch at 25 for one in the fourth over.
His opening partner Nick Compton followed soon after for 16, top edging slow bowler Mathurin to short third man for Lesporis to pouch his second catch, leaving Somerset 37 for two in the seventh over.
Buttler then took charge of the innings, adding 40 from 34 balls for the third wicket with James Hildreth who made a patient 18 from 26 balls with a single boundary.
Hildreth was bowled in a wild heave at left-arm seamer Kenroy Peters at 77 for three in the 13th over but Buttler combined in a 43-run stand off 33 balls for the fourth wicket with Craig Meschede, to revive his side.
With the innings heading towards the business end, Buttler chanced his hand more, finding his second six over long on off pacer Mervin Matthew. However, he attempted a similar shot the very next delivery and was caught in the deep in the 18th over at 120 for four.
The 19-year-old Meschede, who stroked a cameo unbeaten 28 came from 23 balls, announced his arrival at the increase with well-struck six over cover off Sammy as he counted a four and two sixes.
