Hat-trick hero

A mature batting play from 19- year-old opener Chesney Hughes and a hat-trick by leg-spinner Anthony Martin yesterday pushed the Leeward Islands to a four-run win over the Windward Islands at Sabina Park, and into Sunday's final of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) regional 50-over tournament.

The left-handed Hughes, who plays for Derbyshire in the England county championship, hit a patient 81 off 105 balls, including seven boundaries, as the Leewards, after winning the toss and electing to bat, were bowled out for 213 off 49 overs.

The 27-year-old Martin, who also played a pivotal role in the Leeward Islands' win over Guyana in their final-round group fixture, then produced one of the best bowling performances of the tournament thus far, when he claimed a hat-trick in the 45th over to help restrict the Windwards to 209 for nine off their allotted 50 overs. Martin ended with three for 23 in 10 overs.

"It was a close one, but we will take it," said a relieved-looking Wilden Cornwall, captain of the Leewards.

Impressive average

"After a very good start to our innings in the field, a few overs slipped by which allowed the Windwards to get back in the game. But I ensured that my guys kept their heads up and back into the game," he added.

In addition to Hughes, who is a former West Indies Under-19 representative, and has an impressive average of 41.26 in 12 first-class appearances for Derbyshire since joining them in 2009, the Leewards had Cornwall (38 off 57 balls) and spinner Justin Athanaze (21 off 22 balls) to thank for their competitive total.

Newly appointed West Indies captain, Darren Sammy, with 4-47 off his allotted 10 overs, was the pick of the Windward Islands' bowlers, with his West Indies teammate, off-spinner Shane Shillingford, and pacer Mervin Matthew claiming two wickets each.

In the Windwards reply, they got off to a terrible start, losing Devon Smith and Andre Fletcher with just one run on the board.

However, a 58-run third-wicket stand between 21-year-old Keddy Leporis (22 off 40) and wicketkeeper Lyndon James (64 off 87), and an 80-run fifth-wicket stand between James and Liam Sebastien (24 off 67), brought the Windwards back into the game at 165-6 in the 44th over.

Needing to score at a near run a ball to claim a spot in the final, the Windwards were pegged back by Martin who, bowling a bag of mixed deliveries, claimed the wickets of James, Shillingford and Matthew with three successive balls with the score on 174, to put the game in the Leewards' favour.

All-rounder Gary Mathurin, 19 not out, and fast bowler Nelon Pascal, 18 not out, then battled hard with a 53-run last-wicket partnership, but found the task just beyond them in the end. Lionel Baker, 2-52 off nine overs, gave Martin best support.

"We could have done some things differently, but at the end of the day it is who played better on the day, and today we were outfoxed by the Leewards," said Sammy.

- J.L.