Mourillon and Warner lead teams to victory in cricket leagues 10 Splash

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Author: Neto Baptiste

The Police and Pigotts Crushers opened their Zone A campaign in the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) 10 Splash (T10) cricket tournament with victories on Thursday at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Competing in the first match of a doubleheader Kanerva at the North Sound venue, the Enforcers made light work of the Bolans Blasters to win comfortably by seven points.

Blasters were asked to bat on 69 for three 10 overs. Hughon Tonge with 25 points for Blasters Tajeja Tonge adding to the total of 20. There was one door for each Lynton’s Africa and Orandel Boston bowling to winners.

When their turn at the crease arrived, Police eased their target of 73 for three. They were led by a porter and a captain, Derek Mourillon who scored 42. He hit four sixes and three fours in the process. Shawn Moore attended 24 not out.

Cut Tonge and Roel Roy each grabbed one point for the Blasters.

Mourillon said it took them a while to adjust, but they were able to contain Bolans midway through their innings.

At the start we were a little – I wouldn’t say shaky – but we felt more, based on the new rules related to the start of the initialization and keeping the 5-4 field. Its different setup plays in 10/10 competition. It requires a lot more hands-on and proactive thinking than reactive thinking, so in the first five changes Bolans got away a bit, but after we got ourselves [sorted] I don’t think they scored 30 runs in the last five overs, he said.

In the feature race of the night, the Crushers were led by an all-rounder Essan Warner who top-scored with 25 off 24 deliveries to help his team to a comfortable six-wicket win against Rising Sun Spartans.

Warner hit three fours in 38 minutes at the crease to help guide the Crushers to 57 in four overs in 8.2 overs as they chased down Spartans’ earlier mark of 56 with six in their 10 overs. Jahiem Norde best goal with 19 losses.

Dear Henry was the pick of the Bullets bowlers with two wickets for four runs in his two overs.

Pigotts Crushers team coach Ajarni Frederick said winning the toss and electing to field was a strategic move that could win the game.

It rained earlier before the start of the game and we know we have a lot of spinners so if it rains more the Spinners wouldn’t have been able to catch the ball at the back end [of the match]and the wicket got a little wet in the same instance, so I think the Spinners would try to take advantage of the pitch and that’s where we decided on that, he said.

In Zone A on Saturday, New Winthorpes Lions and Rising Sun Spartans play at 12 noon; Liberta Blackhawks take on Bolans Blasters at 3pm; and Police take on Pigotts Crushers at 6 p.m.

In another triple-header on Sunday, Combined Schools take on Bethesda Golden Eagles at 11.30am, All Saints Pythons take on Jennings Tigers and Empire Nation play Freetown, all in Zone B.

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