CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, July 29, 2010 - Immediately after the impressive renaming ceremony at the Elquemedo T Willet Park last evening, a Nevis team engaged a St.Kitts team in a very exciting 10/10 encounter.
Trevier Smithen the Nevis Captain won the toss and elected to bat first. In the prematch interviews he and St.Kitts’ captain, Codville Rogers both spoke to the fact that they were both excited to be a part of history –being a part of the first cricket match to be played at the newly renamed park.
Nevis was off to a rapid start led by Carlon Smithen and Kejel Tyson but both of them soon perished at the hands of the off spinner Berridge who bowled remarkably This let in Carlos Adolphus and Daynason Browne who both excited the crowd in an exhilarating partnership. Adolphus ducked into a snorter from fast bowler Berridge which split his helmet but that seems to have disturbed an ants’ nest. He reacted by flat batting the bowler ferociously over mid off for four and then followed up by pulling him savagely over midwicket dropping flat on the boundary rope for a tremendous six.
The Nevis team was bowled out on the very last delivery when Captain Trevier Smithen was run out attempting a second run. It meant therefore that the St.Kitts team had to make exactly 100 runs to gain a historic victory.
Nevis started with an early wicket as Ian Byron got Edwards to top edge, only to be magnificently caught by wicketkeeper Jamoy Pemberton. Captain Codville Rogers and Clarke then teamed up in an enterprising partnership. There was one over when Rogers took a liking to the bowling of Byron—top edging for a six and a four, then pulling savagely through midwicket for another boundary. It seemed all over by the shouting as St.Kitts rocketed to 41 for 1 after only 3 overs and there were some long faces at the newly renamed Park.
Captain Trevier Smithen took the ball and promptly clean bowled Rogers with his first delivery and then proceeded to snare the wicket of Clarke before his over was complete.
After that the procession started, the wind was completely removed from the sails of the St.Kitts ship. When the final delivery was bowled, St.Kitts had subsided to just 72 for the loss of 9 wickets.
The Nevis team’s fielding was a major factor in the victory. Carlon Smithen dived to stop what looked like a certain four and in one flowing motion got the ball back alongside the stumps to get rid of the dangerous Elsroy Powell. There were also two other run outs compliments of excellent fielding.
Summarized scores:
Nevis - 99 all out: Daynason Browne 35; Carlos Adolphus 25; Kejel Tyson 15
Junie Mitchum 3 for 13; E.Berridge 2 for 12; Powell and Carey 1 wicket each.
St.Kitts - 72 for 9 - Codville Rogers 19; L.Clarke 15
Trevier Smithen 4 for 6; Akito Willet 1 for 10 and Ian Byron 1 for 29.
