Kingston, Jamaica – The Leeward Islands became the fourth team to book a place in the semi-finals of the WICB Regional 50 Over Tournament when they had a 13-run win (under Duckwoth/Lewis) over Guyana in a rain-hit match at Sabina Park on Tuesday.
 
The Leewards, who came into the tournament as underdogs, booked their spot thanks mainly to the superb bowling of pacer Gavin Tonge (4-0-20-2) and spinner Anthony Martin (6-3-5-3).
 
In a match reduced to 40 overs per side, the Leewards posted a challenge 179 off 39.5 overs. Tonge then took two wickets in two balls in his new-ball burst, while Martin too his first three wickets in three overs without conceding a run, as
Guyana was reduced to 28-5 in the first 10 overs.
 
Guyana – last year’s losing finalists – eventually recovered to be 93-5 off 23 overs when a heavy shower forced the umpires to abandon the match. At that stage they needed to be 106 to win. The victory gave the Leewards the much-needed four points and a trip to the Final Four where they will meet Windward Islands at Sabina Park on Thursday.
 
Tonge got his wickets in spectacular fashion. After being hoisted over fine leg for six he responded with a superb out swinger which Chris Barnwell edged to Steve Liburd at first slip. Next ball Tonge produced an unplayable deliver to Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan – which touched down on middle stump and clipped the top of off stump.
 
Martin went to work at the other end and was eventually named Man-of-the-Match. He had Richard Ramdeen and Leon Johnson, both plumb LBW, and also had the dangerous Narsingh Deonarine caught at point. The Guyanese were given a lifeline when Royston Crandon (43 not out) and Shiv Chanderpaul (14 not out) added an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 65 but it was not enough.
 
Earlier in the day Martin made a vital 13 in a last-wicket stand of 30 with Lionel Baker (17 not out), which gave the Leewards a fighting chance. The tops scorer was the pint-sized keeper Jahmar Hamilton – who blasted 37 with four big sixes.

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