by RJ Michaels
- Grenada won the toss and elected to bat first in Match 2
- Shamel Hillaire earned Man of the Match honours
- Grenada faces St Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday, 14 April
Grenada Under‑19 delivered a stirring performance headlined by a 6-wicket haul from Shamel Hillaire to defeat St Lucia in Match 2 of the WINLOTT Super 6 Windward Islands U19 Tournament on Sunday, 12 April 2026, at Benjamin’s Park, Dominica.
Coming off a disappointing loss in their tournament opener, Grenada faced a confident St Lucia side fresh from a comprehensive victory over St Vincent and the Grenadines. After rain delayed the start, Grenada won the toss and elected to bat first.
Grenada lost their first wicket with just 8 runs on the board, opener Jordan John bowled for 5. Raekeim Lewis Charles followed soon after, trapped leg before wicket (lbw) for 11, leaving Grenada reeling early. With runs hard to come by, Kemile Abraham attempted to steady the innings, but wickets continued to fall, and Grenada slipped to 42 for 4 after 14 overs.
A modest recovery came through a brief partnership between Abraham and Hillaire, lifting the score to 74 for 5, but St Lucia’s bowlers maintained pressure. Grenada was ultimately dismissed for 123, with Kemile Abraham top‑scoring with 24 runs.
St Lucia’s bowling attack was led by Bjorn Fanis, who claimed 3 for 23, well supported by captain Theo Edward (2 for 20) and Cody Fontenelle (2 for 26). Nathaniel Joseph and Tyler Venner chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Grenada’s best batting performances:
- Kemile Abraham: 24 from 65 balls
- Jayonn Henry: 16 from 20 balls
- Shamel Hillaire: 12 from 25 balls
- Raekeim Lewis Charles: 11 from 28 balls
- Jeremy Edwards: 11 (not out)
Chasing 124 for victory, St Lucia required just over 3 runs per over, and early signs suggested a comfortable pursuit. However, Grenada’s bowlers had other ideas.
Aaron Edwards struck early, dismissing both St Lucian openers — Theo Edward (15) and Roystan Fannis (9) — to leave St Lucia 43 for 2 after 8 overs. Aravinda Bishop then tightened the vice, removing Jonathan Daniel lbw just 3 balls later.
Despite recovering to 73 for 3, St Lucia soon found themselves in trouble as Grenada’s spinners seized control. Bishop and Hillaire triggered a dramatic collapse that saw St Lucia lose 7 wickets for just 30 runs, folding for 103 all out.
Making his first appearance of the tournament after sitting out Grenada’s opening match, Shamel Hillaire produced a match‑winning spell, finishing with 6 wickets for 26 runs to earn Man of the Match honours.
Grenada’s bowling performances:
- Shamel Hillaire: 6/26 from 5.4 overs
- Aaron Edwards: 2/13 from 5 overs
- Aravinda Bishop: 1/20 from 7 overs
Grenada’s captain Khavaughn Bartholomew praised his team’s resilience after the earlier setback: “I just want to thank the Lord for the opportunity. We didn’t get it right with the batting, but we came through with the bowling. We put the ball in the right areas, got early wickets and put them under pressure. The spinners played a massive role. The man of the match wasn’t with us yesterday, so we made a change, and you can see it worked.”
Hillaire, reflecting on his standout performance, expressed gratitude and confidence in the team’s effort: “I first want to thank God for the opportunity. We didn’t bat well today, but we came out on the field and fought until we won. I had faith that I would do well. I was on the bench yesterday, but I knew my time would come.”
The victory places Grenda third in the standings, behind St Lucia and defending champions Dominica. Grenada will next face St Vincent and the Grenadines on Tuesday, 14 April 2026, as the tournament continues.
