Windward Islands fail to advance in NAGICO Super 50 tournament

Defending champions Windward Islands lost their chance for a repeat title when they failed to advance to the semi-finals of this year’s regional NAGICO Super 50 tournament, now being played in Trinidad and Tobago.{{more}}

The Windwards, with four Vincentians in the 15-man squad, lost the second of their three first-round matches on Tuesday, going under to Guyana by 22 runs, after looking in control for most of the match. They had earlier also lost to Jamaica in the tournament’s opening match.

The Guyanese, after a slow, laboured start, managed 235 in their fifty overs, with Vincentian left-arm seamers Delorn Johnson 2 for 39 from 10 overs, and Kenroy Peters 0 for 37 from his 10, helping to keep the Guyana batsmen under tight reign. Former West Indies captain Ramnaresh Sarwan topscored with 62, after being dropped on nought by the wicketkeeper off the dominant Johnson.

Despite always being way ahead of the required run rate, the Windwards kept losing wickets and folded for 213, with Vincentian middle order batsman Rommel Currency contributing 19.

With just one match to go, the Windwards remain on zero points, with no hope of catching group leaders Jamaica on nine points and Guyana on eight, both now the guaranteed semi-finalists from the four-member group, which also includes this year’s international guest team Ireland.

Windwards play their final game on Friday against Ireland. Off-spinner Alston Bobb, the fourth Vincentian in the squad, is yet to feature in the tournament.

The Windwards this year is again being led by last year’s victorious skipper, Dominican Liam Sebastien, in the absence of an injured Darren Sammy. His father Lockhart Sebastien is team manager and Vincentian Ian Allen – the former West Indies fast bowler, is coach.