By Neto Baptiste
Pigotts Crushers, although not featuring over the weekend, continues to lead the standings in the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) Two-Day Competition after nine outings.
Crushers, who have won three, drawn five and had one no-result, are on 64 points — eight points ahead of multi-times champions PIC Liberta Blackhawks who is on 56.
Blackhawks, after what was their fifth draw in nine matches when their contest against Empire Nation was ended by rain on Sunday, are level on points with State Insurance Corporation Jennings. Both teams have played nine times, winning two, drawing five and have two no-results.
Empire Nation sits in the fourth spot with 55 points, closely followed by New Winthorpes Lions on 46. Massey Insurance Combined Schools are sixth with 41 points, All Saints Pythons lay seventh with 38, while Rising Sun Spartans are eighth with 34 points.
Caribbean Union Bank Bethesda Golden Eagles occupies the ninth spot with 29 points while Bolans sit at the bottom of the table with 17 points.
In their contest against Blackhawks, Empire amassed 297 all out in their first innings after 62.1 overs. Justin Athanaze led the batting with 58 runs while Tariq Benjamin added 55 to the total.
Blackhawks were then all out for 154 in 38 overs with Karima Gore leading the charge with 53 from 78 balls.
With first innings points in the bag, Empire, batting for a second time, were 126 for seven in 30 overs before play was halted.
Meanwhile, New Winthorpes Lions beat the Bethesda Golden Eagles by more than 200 runs.
Batting first, New Winthorpes made 377 for eight in 63.2 overs with
centuries from Ian Eusebe (109) and Nino Henry (100). Former West Indies batsman, Sylvester Joseph added
75 to the total, while
Jamaul Fernandez made 44.
Bethesda Golden Eagles then reached 117 all out with their best effort coming from Eviton Meade who made 45 not out. Fernandez was the pick of the bowlers with seven wickets for 38 runs in 11 overs.
In their second innings, New Winthorpes reached 75 for two declared before Golden Eagles threw in the towel at 103 for eight in their second innings.
In the other match played over the weekend, All Saints Pythons and Jennings played to a draw with Jennings walking away with first innings points.