By Neto Baptiste
Defending champions, Liberta Blackhawks and the motivated Jennings Tigers will meet in the semifinals round of the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) Two Day Competition after finishing second and third, respectively, following the final round of preliminary matches last weekend.
Blackhawks, after six wins, two draws and a no result in their nine matches, finished with 82 points in the number two slot, while Tigers with five wins, two losses, a draw and a no result, ended the preliminary round on 70 points and third in the standings.
In the other semifinal showdown, top of the table Pigotts Crushers will face fourth placed Empire Nation.
Crushers, who have enjoyed a stellar run in the prelims, amassed 88 points after seven wins, one loss and one no result, while Empire, after what could be described as an unpredictable run thus far, amassed 67 points after five wins, two losses, one draw and a no result.
The semifinal clashes are expected to bowl off on Saturday at venues to be announced.
Empire secured their place in the semis following an innings and 54 runs triumph over All Saints Pythons when they met at the Mack Pond playing field in All Saints.
Led by spinner and the eventual Player of the Match, Micah McKenzie who claimed a total of nine wickets for 21 runs, Empire easily dispatched of Pythons to keep their door to the final open.
McKenzie snatched four for 15 to help restrict Pythons to just 61 in their first innings before claiming six for five in the second innings to limit the home team to just 38 all out. Empire, in their first innings, had amassed 153 all out with Garry Duberry hitting 37 and Tyrone Williams Jr with 34.
Blackhawks made light work of Combined Schools to win by an innings and 96 runs after bowling out the opponents for 55 and 24 runs in their first and second innings with Player of the Match, Elroy Francis Jr bagging six wickets for nine runs in the second innings. He had help from Chamiqueko Landerfort who picked up 4/4. Javy Benjamin was the pick of the bowlers for Blackhawks in Schools’ first innings claiming five for 33 in nine overs. Francis Jr claimed three for two in 3.1 overs.
Blackhawks had amassed 175 all out with Michael Greaves and Amahl Nathaniel making 48 and 41 respectively.
Meanwhile, Pigotts Crushers beat Jennings tigers by nine wickets to book their semifinal berth.
Asked to bat, Jennings posted 159 all out in 40.4 overs with Dahri Francis hitting 62 from 54 deliveries. Jawakie Joseph bagged a five-for, picking up five wickets for 38 runs in 10.4 overs. Crushers, led by Uri Smith’s 82 posted 197 all out in their first innings reply. Player of the Match, Demari Benta added 41 to the total. There were four wickets each for Matthew Miller and Glenton Williams.
Jennings then posted 169/9 declared, leaving Crushers to chase 131 for victory. Jahiem Africa hit a top score of 50 for Jennings. Crushers, however, easily overhauled the total at 132 for one with Essan Warner hitting a top score of 63 and Smith adding 53.
In the other matches contested over the weekend, Bolans Blasters picked up their first win of the tournament with a 111 runs triumph over Bethesda Golden Eagles while New Winthorpes Lions defeated Rising Sun Spartans by six runs.