Basseterre wins tournament
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE curtains came down on the inaugural St. Kitts Cricket Association’s Development Bank of St. Kitts and Nevis Premier Cricket League last weekend when with the Basseterre Zone winning the title in a one-sided affair.
The two-day final started on Saturday (Apr. 13) at Warner Park where Basseterre won the toss and elected to bat, making 398 for the loss of 4. Top scoring was the team’s captain, Steve Liburd, who made 91 (16 fours and one six) facing 146 balls before he was run out.
Other contributors were Garfield Charles (89), Jeremiah Louis (64 not out), Larry Audain (59 not out), Welton Edwards (32) and Esroy Powell (32).
Rural West Team bowling: Elvin Berridge 1 for 100 off 25 overs and Shane Jeffers 1 for 75 off 20.
In reply, Rural West were all out for 145 off 34.1 overs.
Top scoring was captain Shane Jeffers with 94, while Dylin Liddie contributed 18, Sheno Berridge 14, Ian James 6, Simeon Hardhat 4 not out, Elvin Berridge 2 and Javal Hodge 1.
Basseterre Team bowling: Larry Audain 4 for 11 off 4.1 overs, Steven Liburd 3 for 22 off 11, and Esroy Powell 2 for 53 off 8.
Only Basseterre Team batted in the second innings making 143 for 5.
The match was umpired by Wycliffe Mitchum and Luther Kelly, while scorers were Kheera Venner and Leanne Walters.
Twenty-year-old Larry Audain was declared Player of the Final for his all-round contribution.
The tournament however highlighted the amazing cricket ability of many young cricketers who performed admirably with both bat and ball.
Hester Rawlins, Chairman of the closing ceremony, declared that the League had produced four individual centuries, with two of them being scored by teenagers Shane Venner (151 not out) and Darren Hobson (136).
He also described the111-knock by cancer survivor Codville Rogers as the most sentimental.
The other century was by the experienced Jeffers (160).
Jeffers was adjudged the League’s MVP after attaining the highest individual score (160) in the innings against SKCA Development Team and emerging Player with the Highest Aggregate of 369 runs at an average of 73.8.
Rural East’s captain Jacques Taylor grabbed the bowling awards by having taken the most wickets in the league as well as finishing with the best bowling figures of 6 for 32.
Akeem Saunders, Captain of the SKCA Development Team, was also applauded after he made his first class debut for the Leeward Islands in the Regional 4day competition.
Mr David Foxrepresentative of the Development Bank, commended the players and organisers of the league and the Bank’s commitment, said that the Bank was committed to continue with its support for the league.
“In 2007 the Development Bank had a training session with some under 17 players, there were about 21 of them,” said Mr Fox. “We committed ourselves that we were going to continue to provide the platform for these youngsters to continue their cricket development, because we anticipate that from this group, we are going to have a player on the West Indies team.”
President of the St. Kitts Cricket Association Mr. Auckland Hector commended the Development Bank for their sponsorship and promised that his association would be loyal ambassadors for the bank.
