By Neto Baptiste
Liberta Blackhawks and Empire Nation kept their unbeaten run in the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) Super 40 competition intact following comfortable wins on Sunday.
In a clash between the teams ranked numbers two and three in the standings, second-ranked Empire Nation defeated Pigotts Crushers by 21 runs when they met in Pigotts.
Batting first after winning the toss, Empire posted 203 for six in their allotted 40 overs. Player of the match, Damian Lowenfield hit a top score of 80 off 88 deliveries with six fours and three sixes. There were two wickets each for Demari Benta (2/26) and Tyree Moore (2/38).
When their turn at the crease arrived, Crushers reached 182 before they were bowled out. Benta was the only batter of note with 50 from 65 balls. He struck four fours and one six.
Justin Athanaze (3/17) and Jalen Harris (3/32), were the pick of the bowlers for Empire. The Gray’s Farm team move to 20 points after five matches, the same as Blackhawks, but are second in the standings on net run rate.
Meanwhile, Leeward Islands player and player of the match Karima Gore claimed six wickets for just nine runs in seven overs to help lift Blackhawks to a six-wicket triumph over Jennings Tigers when they met in Jennings.
Winning the toss and opting to bat, Jennings were bowled out for 131 in 38 overs due to Gore’s six-for. Matthew Miller was the top scorer for Jennings with 59 from 83 deliveries. He hit five fours and one six.
Blackhawks then successfully chased their target at 132 for four with another Leeward Islands player, Kofi James, hitting a top score of 63 off 38 with seven fours and three sixes.
Also on Sunday, Rising Sun Spartans beat All Saints Pythons by just two runs in a close match-up.
Batting first, Spartans posted 199 for nine in their 40 overs. Player of the match Kerry Mentore top-scored with 73 with four fours and three sixes. Conroy Semple was the pick of the bowlers for the home team with three wickets for 34 runs.
Pythons then fell just short of the mark at 197 for nine in their 40 overs. Michael Dover missed his century by just four runs, hitting nine fours and a six on his way to 96 off 99 deliveries before he was caught off the bowling of Richie Thomas. Martin Singh bagged three wickets for 36 runs in eight overs for Spartans.
In the other match contested Sunday, New Winthorpes Lions beat Bolans Blasters by three wickets on the Duckworth, Lewis & Stern method after the match was reduced to 36.2 overs.
Scores: Bolans (147/7), Orlando Peters (40), Nino Henry (5/35); New Winthorpes (158/7), Nino Henry (64), Winston Nelson (3/45). Player of the match was Nino Henry.
