SVGCC finish third in Sir Garfielad Sobers Schools’ cricket festival

After playing unbeaten in their seven preliminary matches of the Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools’ Cricket Festival, the French Verandah SVG Community College, faltered when it mattered most, losing to Lodge of Barbados by seven runs, on Friday.

Asked to bat, the Lodge School got up to 155 for 9 in their 40 overs, recovering from 112 for 9.

Zachary Parris, 31 not out, Jamali Lynch, 26, Nagid Forde, 22 and Ackeel Hoyte, 20, were the major contributors.

Dillon Douglas had 3 for 47, Roshorn John, 2 for 21 and Ronaldo Franklyn, 2 for 26.

The SVG Community College was 86 for 8, before Tilron Harry, 40 not out and Jerremy Haywood, 24, shared a ninth-wicket stand of 49.

However, the SVG Community College ran out of steam and succumbed for 148.

Jeremy Layne had added 31 at the top of the innings.

Ryshon Williams, 3 for 14 and Ackeel Hoyte, 3 for 16, were the bowling heroes for Lodge school.

In the other semi-final, Foundation School of Barbados defeated BCL Juniors, also of Barbados, by three wickets. BCL Juniors made 148 all out in 35.4 overs. Foundation School had 152 for 7 in 27 overs.

On Thursday, the SVGCC formalized their berth to the semi-finals, with a 140-run win over Presentation College of Trinidad and Tobago.

SVG Community College, asked to bat, amassed 289 for 9 in their 40 overs. Dillon Douglas scored his second century of the tournament, 132, while Randall Roberts struck 47, Tilron Harry, 25 and Zivon Walker, 20. Joel Sutherland picked up 3 for 38, Nichhk Maraj, 2 for 55 and Joshua Shankar, 2 for 57, bowling for Presentation College.

Presentation College were reduced to 49 for 6, before Joel Sutherland, 54 and Joshua Shankar, 22 not out, took their team to 158 all out in 33.3 overs.

Rayon Williams had 3 for 29, Aleon Caesar, 3 for 50 and Jeremy Haywood, 2 for 21.

Head coach of the SVG Community College Roxell John, reflecting on the team’s solitary loss, although disappointed with not winning the tournament, explained the team’s hiccup in the semi-final, to SEARCHLIGHT.

“We had to change our plans about batting first, because three of the players – Jeremy Layne, Rayshorn Williams and Dillon Douglas – were leaving during the course of the match for St Kitts to join the Windwards team and the rules of the tournament do not cater for substitutes,” John indicated.

“As a consequence, they batted up front at one, two and three, but Layne was given out dubiously, and he was going well, while Douglas gave away his wicket and we never recovered,” John noted.

John said that the team’s successes in the tournament were based on batting first and setting big totals.

When the SVGCC debuted in 2016, they placed seventh of 16 teams.