Virgin Gorda celebrate another victory over their Tortola counterparts in Sunday's (June 9, 2013) WICB Grassroots Cricket Programme match at Greenland. Photo: BVICA

Virgin Gorda’s Jolyon Wilson, seen here in a previous game against Tortola, captured the game´s most outstanding player award for his all-round performance, through his restrictive pace bowling that earned him 4 wickets for 20 runs and subsequent 25 runs opening the batting for Virgin Gorda. Photo: VINO/File

The game was played prior to Wolues and Vikings taking the field for the Digicel Twenty/20 Cricket tournament first-round fixture.

Virgin Gorda’s Jolyon Wilson captured the game´s most outstanding player award for his all-round performance, through his restrictive pace bowling that earned him 4 wickets for 20 runs and subsequent 25 runs opening the batting for Virgin Gorda.

Having won the toss and batting first, Tortola were all out for 117 runs. Virgin Gorda struck early when opening bowler Brandon Walters had Tortola´s opening batsman, Kadesh Talla removed for 1 run.

In the very next over, Wilson split the stumps when he bowled Ricky Singh who played back to a full delivery, totally misjudged the length and departed for duck.

While wickets tumbled for Tortola, their opening batsman, Riaul Roberts kept a steady head, but even he could not resist the temptation to pursue boundaries. On 19 runs, the pressure eventually tested Robert´s patience, giving in to Wilson by delivering a lofted catch to the safe hands of Yosh Banthia, the game´s most outstanding fielder.

Tortola´s middle-order led a small recovery effort. Chetwin Bagot (15 runs); Ian Sampson (19 runs) and Chetram Silchand ( 27 runs), pushed Tortola´s total to a defensible target.

However, when Banthia was re- introduced to the bowling attack his spin quickly wrapped up the innings. He finished with 4 wickets for 25 runs.

In reply, the opening pair of Wilson and Anthony Antoine sparked the Virgin Gorda run chase with blistering boundaries to all parts of Greenland ground, including two sixes between them.

Antoine finished with 18 runs, while his captain Kevin Silchand also added 18 runs to secure victory for Virgin Gorda by 4 wickets.

President of the BVI Cricket Association, Mr Shan Mohamed distributed awards at the end of the game."The youth players were very pumped up about the game and both sides wanted to win. However, from the BVICA perspective, we are looking to see if they are taking the fundamental elements of the game they have learned during practice and using that in the match environment. I am very impressed with the progress players are making through the WICB´s grassroots initiative," Mr Mohamed stated.

He commended senior teams for including some of the youth players in their squad for the ongoing Digicel Twenty/20 Cricket Tournament, noting that this augers well for the future development of the sport. 

Awards

Outstanding Wicketkeeper - Christian Tranquille (VG)

Outstanding Fielder - Yosh Banthia (VG)

Outstanding Bowler - Jolyon Wilson (VG)

Outstanding Batsman - Chetram Silchand (Tortola)

Best Overall Player - Jolyon Wilson (VG)