ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC – Leeward Islands limped out of the Caribbean Twenty20 Championship without so much as a whimper, crashing to a lame 46-run defeat to Hampshire here yesterday.
Chasing the English County’s 156 for five, the Leewards never mounted a serious effort and tumbled to an embarrassing 110 all out off 19.5 overs, their third straight defeat in Group B at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground.
They will travel to Barbados for their final game against Canada next Friday at Kensington Oval with only pride to play for. Hampshire were propelled by opener Johann Myburgh who slammed 76 from 57 balls with four fours and six sixes, while captain Jimmy Adams got 30 from 24 balls with two fours and two sixes. Needing to win to stay in the competition, the Leewards floundered after a bright start and only Jahmar Hamilton with 32 and Kieran Powell with 29 offered resistance as former England seamer Simon Jones shone with three for 21.
Powell and burly 17-year-old Rahkeen Cornwall (13) put on 35 from 30 balls for the first wicket, as Leewards sought to make a bold assault on their target.
Cornwall, promoted in the order to act as a pinch-hitter, belted one four and a big six in a run-a-ball knock before tugging medium pacer Hamza Riazuddin (2-23) to long on where James Vince took the first of his five catches.
Inexplicably, the Leeward then lost the plot, with none of their batsmen showing any inclination towards hanging around.
The combination of Riazuddin and Vince accounted for Montcin Hodge for two at 38 for two at the end of the seventh and Powell, who stroked four sweetly-timed boundaries, then had a rush of blood and was bowled by left-arm spinner Danny Briggs attempting an ill-advised reverse sweep.
Devon Thomas looked in good touch in gathering 17 from 16 balls before glancing a leg-side catch to wicketkeeper Michael Bates and the very next ball, captain Wilden Cornwall holed out to Vince at long on to leave the Leewards in tatters at 67 for six at the end of the 13th over.
There was to be no fairytale end to his nightmare for Leewards and though Hamilton clouted three fours and a six off just 18 balls, it was not enough as wickets fell steadily, with left-arm seamer Chris Wood (2-9) getting among the wickets.
Like those before him, Hamilton fell to a catch at long on by Vince to be ninth out at 110 off the second ball of the final over and Leewards were out of their misery when Jacques Taylor was caught close in off the penultimate delivery of the game.
Earlier, Myburgh and Adams give Hampshire a rousing start after they won the toss, putting on 64 from 45 balls for the first wicket. Adams was held by Wilden Cornwall leaping full stretch at mid off in the eighth over off off-spinner Justin Athanaze (3-24) and when Vince fell in the next over for two, bowled by leg-spinner Anthony Martin, Hampshire stumbled to 69 for two. But Myburgh dominated a 48-run, third wicket stand with Liam Dawson (11) to rejuvenate the innings.
Hampshire now have eight points from three matches and play their final game against Trinidad and Tobago next Wednesday in Barbados.
