COOLIDGE, Antigua – Grenada scored a hard-fought 16-run win over Anguilla Sunday to march into the quarter-final round of the Stanford 20/20 Tournament.
In the game played at the Stanford Cricket Ground, Grenada, sent in to bat, posted a tournament high for this season, 177 for six, beating the previous best of 168 scored by St Vincent and the Grenadines against St Maarten on Friday.
Grenada's victory was spearheaded by Man Of The Match Andre Fletcher's destructive 70 off 45 balls. During his knock, he shared in an opening 82-run stand with Heron Campbell, who contributed 27.
After Campbell's dismissal, Fletcher was joined by Randel Baptiste and the two saw Grenada to 100 in just 8.4 overs. Baptiste, however, did not last long afterwards as he was bowled by Chaka Hodge for 18 at 114 for 2.
Things slowed a bit with the introduction of teenage left-arm spinner Shridath Rey, who up to his final over, conceded only nine runs, but finished with one for 28 as 19 runs came off the last few deliveries.
He was supported by Kelbert Walters, who after being switched to the northern end, conceded another eight runs off two overs to end with one for 31.
Clyde Telesford contributed 21 towards the end for Grenada against Hodge's two for 26.
When Anguilla batted, they lost Lyndel Richardson (18) and Chesney Hughes (8) at 33 for two, but Montcin Hodge, who remained unbeaten on 75 and Omari Banks with 44, shared in a 93-run third-wicket stand, which threatened to take the game away.
At the half-way mark with the required run-rate at over ten, they went on the attack and threatened with some lofted blows – scoring 58 runs between the tenth and 14th overs, but were pegged back to just 35 runs in the next six overs.
Banks' dismissal in the 16th over was a significant blow because by this time Montcin Hodge, who ended with seven sixes and two fours, lost all the power in his hands, except in the final over when he belted 18 runs. His six hitting over extra cover was awesome but it just failed to take Anguilla over the final hurdle. (Stanford20/20)