By Isaac Lockett

Day eight at the Cool and Smooth T20 was full of twists and turns as another day came and went on the beautiful island of Antigua. However, before the floodlights were switched off at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, vital points were up for grabs.

The day’s first match saw the Pigotts Crushers take on the Empire Nation in a game that will last long in the memories. The Crushers won the toss and elected to bat, but a quick-fire two wickets saw the Nation gain the early upper hand. Darren Nedd (2-31) has been making a name for himself during the 2023 edition of the Cool and Smooth T20 after some impressive performances and picked up the wickets of Kristan Kallicharan (5 off 14) and Kadeem Henry (0 off 3) during his first two overs. Momentum shifted, and Piggots found stability during their inning in the form of captain Elroy Francis (43 off 30) and Chris Greves. The pair combined scoring 79 off 62 balls, with Greaves top scoring in the innings with 54 off 44. After completing the Crushers’ 20 overs, the team finished with 150. Overseas Nathan Edward was the pick of the bowlers for the Nation finishing with figures of 2-18 from his four overs.

If the Crushers’ innings was characterised by one big partnership, the Nations’ innings could be characterised by many batters making starts without a big score. Tyrone Williams Jr (26 off 17), Matthew Cross (39 off 28), Kershaski JnoLewis (25 off 19) and Kenrick Scott (23 off 18) all make contributions to help the Nation chase down the Crushers’ total. Chris Greves continued his impressive performance picking up 3-21 from his four overs, with Henry also picking up three wickets. The game was in the balance all the way until the end, when there was only one ball left. The equation was simple, three runs from the last ball of the innings, and the Nation completes the win; two runs and the match heads to a super over; anything less and the Crushers win. Shalome Parnell bowled to Scott, who got the ball to deep backward square leg. As the batters were coming back for the third run, Micah McKenzie was found short of his ground, with Jewel Andrew collecting the ball and breaking the stumps. The two teams went to a super over, the first one of the 2023 season. Greaves stepped up and bowled a magnificent over, only conceding six off his over. Kallicharan then stepped up for the Crushers and found the boundary scoring 6 from 4 balls as Andrew scored the winning run. The Crushers completed a famous super-over.

After the mouthwatering encounter of the first game, the Liberta Blackhawks took the field looking to bounce back following their first defeat of the tournament against the Bethesda Golden Eagles. Three batters got into the 20s for the Golden Eagles, with Jamaul Fernandez (28 off 32), Sadique Henry (24 off 26) and Nosthusha Kenjige (27 off 25) finding the ability to score against the ever-impressive bowling attack of the Blackhawks. Left-arm quick Javier Spencer was impressive with the new white ball in his hand, finishing with 0-13 from his four overs, while Kofi James continued to show his prowess as an all-rounder finishing with 2-19 from his four overs. The Golden Eagles finished with 113 on the board, which on first impressions, may look under par, but with a bowler-friendly pitch, was going to take a lot of work.  

Jamaican overseas Leroy Lugg, who came in as a late replacement for Jahmar Hamilton, has made a real impact at the Cool and Smooth T20 with his tremendous six-hitting ability. Opening the batting for the Blackhawks, Lugg scored 29 off 23 during an opening partnership with Amahl Nathaniel, who played a supporting role (33 off 40). The scoreboard read 59-1 off 8.3 overs before Lugg was dismissed, and the Blackhawks looked in control. Golden Eagles captain Anthony Martin bowled four economical overs conceding 11 runs and picking up two wickets. But in the end, the class of Karima Gore (22 off 21) and James (15* off 14) proved too much for the Eagles as the Blackhawks got home by six wickets.

In the day’s final game, Hilroy Andrew played an anchoring role for the New Winthorpes Lions, who batted first against the All Saints Pythons. Lions’ batter Andrew scored 40 off 41 as Scotland international Michael Leask (29 off 22) and Mikkel Govia (28 off 13) played around accelerating innings. Tournament MVP contender Matthew Forde once again impressed with the ball finishing with 2-13 from his four overs, while Scotland’s Christopher McBride took three outfield catches. The Lions finished with 154-7 from their 20 overs.

The Pythons, therefore, needed 155 to win at a run rate of 7.75 to win. James Clarke scored 32 off 28 for the Pythons. However, he was the only batter to reach the 20-run mark. Mikkel Govia had taken six wickets before this game and took a further three during this encounter, taking his season tally to nine. Govia has been a fantastic addition to the Lions’ bowling unit finishing with figures of 3-18. Michael Palmer also took three wickets, finishing with 3-21 as the Pythons could not build any momentum. The Pythons ran out of time and finished with 117-9 from their 20 overs, finishing 37 runs short.  

Day 7 at the Cool and Smooth T20 saw the return of triple headers, each game having its own fascinating context as gaps start to appear in the table and players adapt to the conditions at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

The day’s first match saw the New Winthropes Lions take on the winless Bethesda Golden Eagles. Mikkel Govia has been one of the bowlers of the tournament so far as the opening bowler for the Lions, and he continued to make scoring difficult for teams in the early stages against the Golden Eagles. Govia bowled his four overs, conceding 14 runs and taking the wicket of middle-order batter Tehrique Mason to go with his catch and run-out in the field. Teammate and Scotland international Michael Leask picked up the best figures of the innings, finishing with 2-15 from his overs and taking a catch. The Golden Eagles struggled to get a foothold in the game, with Sadique Henry top-scoring with 22 off 21, and were bowled out for 102.

The Lions, predominantly through opening batter Michael Palmer (36* off 25) and a whirlwind inning from Leask, chased down the under-par-looking total. The pair put on a rapid-fire 80-run partnership, with Leask finding exceptional timing at the crease finishing with 47* off 26 balls, helping their team chase down the total after 10.2 overs.  

The day’s second game saw the high-flying All Saints Pythons take in the Boland Blasters. The early phases of the game saw the Blasters rip up the form book as Scotland captain Richie Berrington (39 off 33) and Kerry Mentore (28 off 20) put on an opening partnership of 66. However, off-spin bowler Demetri Lucas quickly turned the match on its head. Lucas bowled his four overs, only conceding eight runs and taking a wicket, breaking the momentum of the Blasters.

After the positive opening partnership for the Blasters, there was no acceleration at the back end of the inning, meaning they finished on 130-6. Both teams probably went into the break thinking they had a chance of getting the win. The Pythons have heavily relied on Scotland duo Liam Naylor (14 off 14) and Christopher McBride (14 off 8) and overseas star Matthew Forde (11 off 16) for runs. Therefore, the game was thrown wide open when all three of them were dismissed below the 20-run mark. Micheal Harilall (3-17) claimed the wicket of the Scottish pair, while Morton Browne (3-10) bowled a similar momentum-stunting spell to Lucas in the first inning. Lower-order runs from Michael Marcellin (25 off 29) almost helped the Pythons over the line. But in the end, it was the Blasters that claimed the victory by 16 runs.  

The final game saw the undefeated Liberta Blackhawks take on the Jennings Tigers as first place took on third place. The Blackhawks haven’t looked invincible during this tournament, with some nervous moments, but they always found a way to win. This game looked no different after none of the top four batters scored more than 20. However, Kofi James had moved down the order to come in at five, so there was still work for the Tigers to do to ensure that the Blackhawks’ machine could not kick into gear. Overseas signing Ben Sexton put in an impressive performance with the ball and finished with figures of 4-17 from his three overs, along with taking two catches in the field. However, the remaining question was how many runs James could score to help the Blackhawks set a defendable total. James was dismissed in the 14th over after top scoring with 32 off 28. With none of the other batters able to find their timing, the team were dismissed for 102. But spectators have seen the Liberta team defend low scores before.    

D’Ahri Francis, who had another impressive game behind the stumps for the Tigers with two catches and no byes conceded, opened the batting with Cameron Miller (14 off 37). Francis, who has been in fine form with the bat, took the attack to the Blackhawk’s bowlers finding the boundary on five occasions during the opening exchanges. The keeper-batter was dismissed for 27 off 18 with the scoreboard reading 39-1 from 6.2 overs. The Tigers needed 63 more runs to win from 13.4 overs to defeat the Blackhawks at just over four runs an over. Sensible batting was required, and that is precisely what the batters delivered. A run-a-ball 19 from Matthew Miller at the final stages was needed to thwart the prized spin bowling attack of the Blackhawks. Miller and Jedidiah Martin (6* off 9) took the Tigers home to win by five wickets.

By Isaac Lockett

The Jennings Tigers started Day 6 at Cool and Smooth T20 by playing their third match in three days, facing off against the Empire Nation. The Nation had two rest days yesterday following their win against the Bethesda Golden Eagles during Saturday’s triple-header; it did not take long for them to refind their match form. Opening batter Mikyle Louis, who has been around the St. Kitts And Nevis Patriots side, looked commanding at the crease as he and Scotland international Matthew Cross put on a partnership of 124 off 65 balls. Cross, who batted at three for the Nation, put in a performance that fans have become accustomed to after watching him on the international stage scoring 53 off 37.

But it was Louis who took centre stage during the contest scoring a rapid-fire 77 off 30 balls during an inning that consisted of nine boundaries and four huge maximums. For the Tigers, Glenton Williams impressed with the ball finishing with figures of 2-24 from his four overs; but it did not stop the Nation from reaching an imposing 191-6.

The Nation then bowled with intent and control, preventing the Tigers from keeping up with the required run rate. Wickets fell at regular stages, with Nathan Edward (2-21), Darren Nedd (2-20) and Micah McKenzie (2-21) sharing two wickets each, while Justin Athanaze (1-13) bowled economically, conceding 13 runs from his four overs. Lachlan Bangs scored 27 runs off 27 balls during the chase, top scoring for the Tigers. But in the end, the Jennings Tigers found themselves 78 runs short at the end of their 20 overs. 

During the day’s second game, the Liberta Blackhawks were looking to maintain their 100% winning record against the Piggots Crushers. The Crushers won the toss and elected to bat first, hoping they could set a target that would put pressure on the Blackhawks’ chase. After an opening partnership between Essan Warner (21 off 25) and Trinidadian Kristan Kallicharan (21 off 14) reached 40 within five overs, the Crushers looked like they were on course for a big total.

However, the Blackhawks’ have a quality spin bowling unit and were bowling in friendly conditions. Andre Bailey (1-11), Kofi James (2-16) and Hayden Walsh Jr. quickly took the momentum away from the batting side. West Indies international Walsh Jr. wrote his name into the 2023 record books, picking up the tournament’s first five-wicket haul, finishing with figures of 5-21 from his four overs. The bowling effort saw the Crushers set the defending champions a target of 123 to win.

Jamaica Scorpions opening batter Leroy Lugg then took centre stage for the Blackhawks. Lugg got the chase off to a flying start scoring 30 runs from 18 balls, while Kofi James showed patience at the other end scoring 32 off 30. Scotland international Chris Greaves took the wickets of James and Lugg. With the chase sitting at a precarious position with two new batters at the crease, Karima Gore (34* off 25) and Andre Bailey (16* off 21) ensured that the Blackhawks got home comfortably by eight wickets.    

By Isaac Lockett

Day 5 of the Cool and Smooth T20 reverted to a doubleheader after a weekend of triple headers, but that doesn’t mean the action was any less exciting. The day’s first match saw the Tigers looking to complete three wins in a row against the Bolans Blasters and started the match by attempting to set an imposing target for the Blasters to chase. After losing their first match, the Jennings Tigers have found some crucial momentum, having won their last two games.

Tigers opening batter Dhari Francis, coming off a crucial 93 in the last match, looked to build some momentum of his own and continued to be positive at the crease. Francis was forced to play different innings against the Blasters, with the pitch favouring the bowlers, but he top-scored for the Tigers with 25 off 29 balls. Once Francis departed, none of the other Tigers batters were able to reach the 20-run mark as the Blasters bowlers came into their element. Micheal Harilall finished with the extremely impressive figures of  3-6 from his four overs, while Zidane Clarke (2-25 and captain Taiem Tonge (2-16) finished with two wickets each. The Blasters bowled out the Tigers for 112-10 after taking a wicket on the last ball of the innings and looked in the driving seat heading into the innings break.      

However, the Tigers were the ones who started the second innings brighter, with the scoreboard reading 2-3 as overseas Ben Sexton picked up two early wickets. Hope remained for the Blasters as long as the experienced Orlando Peters remained at the crease, with Blasters fans hoping he could steer the side to a crucial victory. The primary concern for the Blasters was that wickets continued to tumble, with only Peters reaching double figures out of the top six batters. The Tigers brought in Craig Rainford for his first match of the tournament, and this decision proved a master stroke picking up 3-19 from his four overs. Peters departed for 34 off 27 balls, and the Blasters’ hope was lost. The chasing team were bowled out for 78, falling 34 runs short. 

During the second match, the Bethesda Golden Eagles were looking to claim their first win of the tournament against the All Saints Pythons. In search of early wickets, the Golden Eagles opened the bowling with USA international and left-arm spin bowler Nosthush Kenjige. However, while Kenjige kept it tight in the opening phases, local player Timmo Thomas picked up the first wicket of the match. Whilst the Pythons have been in good

form during the competition, their ability to score defendable scores has largely rested on three players scoring runs; Scotland internationals  Liam Naylor and Christopher McBride and Barbadian Matthew Forde. After being dismissed for a duck in the last game, Naylor found his stride, scoring 33 off 34 balls during this match. However, Forde once again proved his quality by bringing up his first half-century of the tournament. The middle-order batter looked like he was batting on a different surface, scoring freely, finishing with 64* from 43 balls. This knock helped the Pythons to 132-5 from their 20 overs, putting Forde second on the tournament’s run-scoring charts with 142 with the same average, having only been dismissed once from three innings. Jamaul Fernandez deserves recognition for how he bowled against the impressive Pythons batters finishing with figures of 3-15 from his four overs.

Forde then starred with the ball for the Pythons finishing with figures of 1-5 from his four overs, including bowling a maiden over during another player-of-the-match performance. The spin bowling duo of Kadeem Josiah (1-17) and McBride (3-13) also continued to impress for the Pythons. Credit must also go to wicket-keeper James Clarke, who completed four catches and a stumping on the day. Despite several Golden Eagle batters making starts, the team struggled to keep up with the required run rate, with only Shacoy Floyd (21 off 17) scoring more than a run a ball. Despite the innings from Floyd giving the Eagles a chance, it was too little too late, finishing their 20 overs 25 runs short.

Isaac Lockett 17 April 2023 The Jennings Tigers and the All Saints Pythons got Day 4 of the Cool and Smooth T20 underway, with both teams having a rest day during Day 3. The Tigers were looking to avoid two defeats in a row following an opening-round loss to the New Winthorpes Lions and would be looking to set a defendable target as they batted first. Opening the bowling for the Pythons was the impressive Matthew Forde. The right-arm medium-fast bowler was quickly back in the wickets column claiming the wicket of Elijah Peters (4 off 5) in the first over.

But Peters’ opening partner D’ahri Francis remained firm at the crease and went on to play one of the innings of the tournament so far until being dismissed for 93 off 55. Francis got support from number seven Jedidiah Martin (25 off 22) towards the end of the inning. But it was the impact that Kadeem Josiah had on the 12th over that stunted the Tiger’s innings. Leg spinner Josiah took three wickets in the 12th over, which really reduced the Tiger’s batting reserves. After all the momentum swings, the Tigers set the Pythons 151 to win.

Scotland batter Liam Naylor (0 off 1) was dismissed in the first over, while compatriot Christopher McBride could not find the same fluency he had in the first match (20 off 23). Forde, who could be competing for player of the tournament, once again looked formidable with the bat and looked on course to score a half-century before getting run out by Paul Miller for 42 off 26 during a critical moment in the match. Compared to the Tigers’ innings, multiple batters got starts, with Michael Dover (27 off 17) and Tron Payne (22 off 18) also making contributions. Eventually, it all came down to the last over. Jedidiah Martin (1-24) was asked to defend ten runs from the last six balls of the innings. The first half of the over went for two, meaning the equation was eight runs off three balls. The fourth ball went for four; then Martin bowled a wide, and the match was truly in the balance. Martin handled the pressure exceptionally and only conceded two runs from the last two balls meaning the Tigers won a thriller of a match by a single run

The day’s second match saw a top order explosion help set up a win for the Piggots Crushers against the Bolans Blasters. Under 19 wicketkeeper batter, Jewel Andrew is showing Caribbean Premier League and regional selectors that he is a name to watch out for as he finished the innings on 54* from 28 balls, while Trinidian Kristan Kallicharan (57 off 33) also played fantastically after opening the batting. Other contributions from Essan Warner (41 off 33) and captain Elroy Francis (29 off 18) rounded off a fantastic batting inning which saw the Crushers finish their inning on 211-4. Mention should go to Kerry Mentore, who in all the carnage finished with figures of 3-32 from his four overs.

The reply started strongly for the Blasters after an opening 41-run stand between Mentore, who rounded off his good game with (27 off 12), and Scotland captain Richie Berrington (24 off 17). But these were the only two Blasters batters to surpass the 20-run mark. Spin bowling duo Chris Greaves (3-21) and Kadeem Henry (3-23) picked up three wickets each as wickets fell at regular intervals once the opening stand had been broken. Jewel Andrew finished another impressive game behind the stumps, completing a stumping and not conceding a bye, as the U19 star is currently sitting second on the tournament’s run-scoring charts. The final result saw the Blasters lose their second game in two days as they were bowled out for 106.

The final game of the day saw the Liberta Blackhawks look to claim their third win in a row and second in two days against the New Winthorpes Lions to maintain their 100% start to the tournament. After his century in the last game, Kofi James looked in imposing form again, making a rapid start to his innings. However, wickets were falling around him, with overseas Leroy Lugg, Leeward Island Hurricanes player Karima Gore and West Indies international Hayden Walsh Jr all departing for under ten runs.

James was the fourth wicket to fall, scoring 42 off 24 before being dismissed by Michael Palmer (1-28). The Blackhawks looked like they could continue to lose wickets rapidly; however, Jamaican Andre Bailey played a vital role for the team. Bailey scored 42 off 33 and helped the defending champions reach 145-10; however, the Lions proved that the Blackhawks could be bowled out and are not impenetrable. Mikkel Govia (2-25) once again impressed with the ball for the Lions, with Scotland spinner Michael Leask picking up 3-22 from his four overs.

It was going to take a tight bowling effort by the Blackhawks to defend their first innings score after being bowled out, and that is precisely what the team delivered. Spin bowlers Walsh Jr (3-15), Gore (1-2) and Bailey (3-7) all bowled well in spin-friendly conditions, helped by an impressive fielding display with six outfield catches being taken, did not let the Lions escape. The Blackhawks went on to win by 53 runs, but could this be a signal to other teams that the Blackhawks could be beaten?

By Isaac Lockett

Day 3 saw the first triple header at the Cool & Smooth T20 2023.

The day’s first match saw two sides who had won their first match with the Liberta Blackhawks taking on the Bolans Blasters. The Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was bathed in sunshine, and the players were ready to put on a show, and it didn’t take long for Kofi James to start the day’s fireworks. James opened up with Jamaica Scorpions’ opening batter Leroy Lugg who came into the side, and the pair quickly raced to a 50 partnership. Lugg departed for a destructive 37 off 22 after being brought in as a last-minute replacement and made his mark straight away on the tournament. However, James continued finding the boundaries bringing up his 50 off 28 balls with fellow Leeward Island Hurricane player Karima Gore at the crease to accompany him. The opening batter eventually fell for a destructive 124 off 64 balls, hitting seven fours and 11 sixes during an incredible inning, bringing up the tournament’s first century. Gore would also score his first half-century of the tournament finishing on 57* off 32 balls as the Blackhawks set up a mammoth 241-2 from their 20 overs.

The Blackhawks then took the momentum into the second innings as they did not let the Blasters back into the game. The defending champions bowled six maidens as they restricted the Blasters to 67-7 from their 20 overs. The bowling figures for all the Blackhawks bowlers were sublime, with Andre Bailey (0-3), Kadeem Phillip (2-5) and Hayden Walsh Jr (2-5) all finishing with an economy rate of under two.

After the game, Nikhil Uttamchandani caught up with James, who spoke about his hunger to keep scoring runs. James spoke about his mentality, explaining that ‘as long as I [he] bats 20 overs, it’s possible to make a 100 … patience is key in all formats for me… I am planning on scoring 1 or two more hundreds’. Then attention turned to the Caribbean Premier League. After his match-defining knock, James hopes that the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots coaches are watching; ‘I’ve been part of their camp, and I am on their radar so hopefully I get a go [in the team]’.

The second game of the day saw opening-round victors, the New Winthorpes Lions, face off against the Pigotts Crushers, looking to get off the mark. After losing two early wickets, Jewel Andrew (30 off 25) once again impressed with the bat and looked in great touch as he helped to solidify the early stage of the Crushers’ innings along with captain Elroy Francis (23 off 20). For the Lions, overseas bowlers Mikkel Govia (0-19) and Michael Leask (1-24) ensured a continuous balance between bat and ball. Scottish International Chris Greves was the third player for the Crushers to get past the 20-run mark top scoring with 36 off 24, with the Crushers eventually finishing on 145-6.

A similar pattern from the first game was then witnessed as the Lions struggled to lift their scoring rate to put the bowling attack under pressure. Despite Leask completing an impressive performance by top scoring for the Lions, with 42 off 32, Crushers captain Francis’s off-spin and the left-arm fast bowling of opening bowler Shalome Parnell swung the match in their team’s favour. Parnell, who represented Jamacia at age group level, bowled a tight first over before returning into the attack to close out the game and finished with figures of 3-17. Francis became the first bowler to pick up four wickets in an inning, finishing with an impressive 4-21 from his four overs. The frequent wickets saw the Lions bowled out for 104 off 18.2 overs.

In the final game, the Golden Eagles would be looking to maintain the winning record of teams batting first on day three against the Empire Nation. The Golden Eagles started strongly with a 53-run opening partnership between Jamaul Fernandez (34 off 30) and captain Deran Benta (43 off 37). While these two were at the crease, it looked like the Nation would be chasing a mammoth target; however, the bowlers quickly wrestled momentum back. Nathan Edward was the pick of the Nation’s bowlers, finishing with 2-8 from his four overs, including a maiden over; while Justin Athanaze (3-19) finished with three wickets and opened up the game for the Nation, claiming the first wicket of Fernandez. The Golden Eagles set the Nation a chase of 129 to win after finishing on 128-7.

The scene was set with the floodlights lighting up the Antiguan sky. Neither team took the early momentum in the second innings, with the scoreboard reading 47-3 after the 7th over. After the loss of Mathew Cross (0 off 5), the Nation fans may have been worried about a second defeat in a row. But up-stepped Darren Nedd. Nedd exuded calm at the crease during an hour-long inning where he faced 48 balls. The question would be whether his scoring rate would be high enough to help the Nation to win. After hitting five 4’s and three maximums, Nedd finished on 58* to help his team over the line with 1.5 overs to spare.

Day three saw a breathtaking finish to a sensational day’s play where Darren Nedd and Kofi James made a name for themselves at the Cool and Smooth T20 2023. But today is a new opportunity, and new players will come to the front.

Isaac Lockett, 14h April 2023

The Cool and Smooth T20 got underway yesterday, with defending champions, the Liberta Blackhawks taking on Empire Nation in the curtain raiser before the Bethesda Golden Eagles and the Bolans Blasters got their tournament underway.

In the day’s first match, the Blackhawks named a strong side to start the competition, with West Indies Internationals Rakheem Cornwall and Hayden Walsh Jr. taking the field alongside Leeward Island Hurricane players Kofi James and Karima Gore. However, the Empire Nation got off to a strong start, with Mikyle Louis (24 off 19) and Tyrone Williams (37 off 27) bringing up an impressive 65-run opening stand. After Kadeem Phillip (2-13) took the opening wicket of the match, Louis being caught by Kofi James, the Blackhawks took the momentum picking up frequent wickets. West Indies leg spinner Hayden Walsh Jr. bowled an economical spell, only conceding 15 off his four overs, with off-spinner Kofi James finishing with 2-13 off his three overs.

The impressive bowling efforts of the Blackhawks restricted the Empire Nation to 123-6 from their 20 overs. After losing the opening batters early in the reply, James (7 off 13) and Avier Christian (1 off 4), the match looked wide open. The experience proved vital for the Blackhawks, with a combination of international and regional players helping to steady their innings and eventually taking them to the tournament’s first points. Gore (26 off 21) and Cornwall (29 off 19) made contributions with the bat as overseas Dexter Sween (17* off 24) and Joshua Thomas (20* off 23) completed the chase for the Blackhawks with an unbeaten 39-run partnership to lead the Blackhawks to a four-wicket win.

In the day’s second match, Bolans Blasters Taiem Tonge led from the front after being involved in six of the first innings wickets against the Bethesda Golden Eagles. Tonge opened the bowling for the Blasters, taking the early wicket of Jamaul Fernandez (2 off 8) before returning to take two more wickets finishing with the impressive figures of 3-17 off 3.5 overs. Tonge also completed two catches and a run out to ensure he was involved in over half the wickets. Zidane Clarke also impressed with the ball for the Blasters finishing with figures of 1-14 off his four overs, while Gavin Tonge top scored for the Golden Eagles with 27 off 19. The bowling efforts of the Blasters restricted the Golden Eagles to 113 all out.

Scotland captain Richie Berrington then showed why he is one of the most exciting batters on his day. Berrington opened the batting for the Blasters and carried his bat, scoring an unbeaten 66 off 49 balls during an inning that consisted of eight boundaries and two sixes. The Blasters didn’t have it all their way, with West Indian international Sheldon Cotrell bowling a firey impressive opening spell and finishing with figures of 0-10 off his three overs. However, the Blasters completed their first win through Berrington and Orlando Peters (27* off 24).    

Day one of the Cool and Smooth T20 was full of incredible action, and we have just started. Today sees the Jennings Tigers face off against New Winthorpes Lions in what promises to be another enthralling encounter.

A 15-member senior Scotland cricket team arrived in Antigua and Barbuda on Sunday for a preparatory camp as they get ready for the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe set to take place in June. 

The contingent, consisting 14 players and National Performance Coach, Tobin “Toby” Bailey, arrived at the VC Bird International Airport yesterday afternoon under the auspices of the Cool & Smooth T20, and will host sessions at both the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium and the Liberta Sports Club facility during their two-week camp.

Speaking with Observer media on arrival, Bailey credited the relationship between the Cool & Smooth T20 Explosion and Cricket Scotland for the initiative.

“It’s Cool & Smooth; it’s that relationship we’ve created with Dario and it’s very similar conditions to what we are going to be playing under in Zimbabwe and similar pitches so although we have been there before and a lot of the players have been to Zimbabwe before and a few of the newer players haven’t so it’s perfect preparation for that with the pitches so that’s another massive advantage,” he said. 

In addition to the camp, eight of the team’s players will play in the Cool & Smooth T20 Explosion with each competing local clubs allowed to draft one Scottish player.

Bailey welcomed the opportunity for the selected players to get what he said will be some much needed game time under their belt.

“What we lack in Scotland is fixtures so having fixtures against quality opposition, putting the players under pressure all of the time because we’ve very good trainers but we need to be put under pressure more on the pitch so for those eight, it’s just a fantastic opportunity. I’ve heard so much about it, I’ve seen it streamed last year so it’s going to be very beneficial for them,” the coach said. 

Bailey welcomed the opportunity to camp in Antigua, adding that the tour is a fantastic opportunity for his players to gain much-needed experience.

“It’s very much a mix of trying to get the players back into things with this pre-season camp. We can’t do much in Scotland at the moment because it is really cold but it’s pretty obvious that we brought a new group of players here so we’ve got players who are experienced but also, some talented players who are just coming through. It is important that we try to blend those players together so we could bring them through to play into that World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe,” he said.

Scotland captain Richie Berrington will enter the Cool & Smooth T20 Explosion draft alongside vice-captain Matthew Cross, Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Hamza Tahir, Liam Naylor and Oliver Davidson.

Also involved will be George Munsey, who returns to Antigua for his second consecutive season with the Jennings Tigers; his international teammates will each be selected by one of the other seven clubs in the competition.