Saint Lucia win, lose in Windwards U19 Cricket

Defending champions and hosts Dominica lead this year’s Winlott Inc Windward Islands Under-19 Men’s Super50 Championship after winning both weekend matches. Saint Lucia, last year’s runners-up, defeated St Vincent & the Grenadines but lost to Grenada in a low-scoring match during the tournament’s opening two days.

On Sunday at Benjamin’s Park in Portsmouth, Shamel Hillaire took 6-26 to lead Grenada to a 20-run victory. Grenada chose to bat first in the 35-over match, scoring 123. Extras contributed 29, the highest, while five players reached double figures, led by Kemile Abraham with 24 from 65 balls. 

Bjorn Fanis was the pick of the bowlers, taking 3-23 and cleaning up the middle and lower order with his 6.1 overs of hostile pace. Cody Fontenelle claimed 2-26 from six overs, and captain Theo Edward 2-21 from five. Liam Wilson was wicketless, but allowed only seven runs from his four overs.  

Given just 124 runs to win in 35 overs, Saint Lucia looked well set at 30 without loss after five overs. Edward went for a run-a-ball 15, but the momentum barely slowed, as a further 12 runs were added in the next three overs, with only the other opener, Roystan Fannis, going for nine. Johnathan Daniel departed on 11, with the score 44-3.

Tyler Venner and Aiden Scholar added 30 runs in 36 balls, but Venner’s dismissal by Hillaire for a team-high 16 triggered a collapse. Hillaire took six of the last seven wickets and assisted in a runout, as Saint Lucia were dismissed for 103.

Only four Saint Lucia players reached double figures.

On Saturday, Saint Lucia defeated St Vincent & the Grenadines by 163 runs. Jean Claude Emmanuel scored 41 and Johnathan Daniel 44, leading Saint Lucia to 208 all out in 43.5 overs after being sent in to bat. Cody Fontenelle contributed 33 and Kanil Nelson 15. Kazado Henry took 4-30.

In response, St Vincent & the Grenadines were dismissed for 45 in 16.1 overs, with Nathaniel Joseph taking 5-17 from six overs at the Geneva Playing Field. Liam Wilson added two wickets. Saint Lucia will face the defending champions on Tuesday as the tournament continues.