ST JOHN’S, Antigua, CMC- Antigua and Barbuda have retained their title as champions of one-day cricket in the Leeward Islands a week after capturing the three-day tournament
They defeated St.Kitts and Nevis by one wicket in the finals of the Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA) 50 overs competition over the weekend. The champions restricted St.Kitts and Nevis to 172 for nine in 45 overs after they were bowled out for 181 at Little Bay in Montserrat. Orlando Peters led the way with 34 runs while Gavin Williams and Austin Richards Jr contributed with 26 and 24 runs. Akeem Saunders and Steve Liburd scored 32 and 30 for the losing finalists.
Antigua’s leg-spinner Hayden Walsh Jr was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets for 18 runs.
“Most of the guys really stuck in there. They didn’t really get big scores, but at least they made some runs that gave us that score we could defend,” said Ridley Jacobs, head coach of Antigua and Barbuda.
“I actually thought it would have been an easy game for us to win once we bowled the ball in the right areas, and the fact to is that the field was very sluggish so you had to hit boundaries”.