By Samuel Peters
The Antigua and Barbuda Under 19 Cricket Team have been declared Champions of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board Under 19 Tournament held in St Kitts over the weekend. The tournament was played amongst the host country St Kitts, Nevis, St Maarten and Antigua and Barbuda.
Antigua and Barbuda (1.38) won based on a superior net run rate although they were tied on the same points (4 points each) with St Maarten (0.60). Brent Joseph was A&B highest run getter with 111 runs at an average of 37 while his teammate Wilden Cornwall Jr was leading wicket taker with nine scalps.
1st match: Antigua and Barbuda lost by 17 runs to St Maarten
Playing at the Warner Park, SXM won the toss and batted first posting 156 all out with Michael Palmer and Tyanick Honore making 31 apiece. Left arm finger spinner Wilden Cornwall Jr had three for 19 while Micah McKenzie had three for 23. In reply, the Antiguans were restricted to 139 as Israel Morton picked up three for 23, Rudesh Ramraj had two for 16, Samuel Morton two for 31 and Palmer had two for 38. A top score of 35 was made by Cornwall Jr. while there were contributions of 25 from Brent Joseph and Yanique Watley.
2nd match: Antigua and Barbuda beat St Kitts by 114 runs
A top order collapse exposed the resilience of Antigua and Barbuda’s batting order as the lower order propelled them to 220 all out after being 54 for five. Yanique Watley top-scored with 39, both Jquan Athanaze and Micah McKenzie scored 36 each while Tyree Moore had 35. There were two wickets each for Caiden Francis, Curdel Crooke and Lashawn Bergan. St Kitts were steady but could not score freely and the Antiguans took advantage of the opportunity presented as Wilden Cornwall Jr. snapped up four for while Moore had two for 16. Opening batsman Kazim Archibald top-scored with 21 runs as his team crashed to 106 all out.
3rd match: Antigua and Barbuda beat Nevis by 82 runs
Captain Brent Joseph scored a cracking half century of 86 to help his team register their second win in the final match of the Leeward Islands Cricket Board Under 19 Tournament against Nevis.
Antigua and Barbuda made 178 for four from the allotted 30 overs as the match was reduced to 30 overs per side after rain interrupted the match. Joseph received support from fellow opening batsman, Hosea Roberts (57) as the two put on 153 for the first wicket. Lythe Browne was the pick of the bowlers for Nevis with two wickets for 13 runs.
In reply, St Kitts were bowled out for 105 with Amoree Jones top scoring with 26 and Carlton Pluck had 18. Jquan Athanaze snapped up three for 18 while both Mekali Tonge and Wilden Cornwall Jr had figures of two for 16.