In a thrilling one-day encounter at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua, the Cricket West Indies (CWI) Academy secured a series win against Emerging Ireland, thanks to outstanding performances by their captain, Nyeem Young, and opener Matthew Nandu.
Chasing a target of 176 runs, the CWI Academy demonstrated resilience and determination. Captain Nyeem Young led from the front with an unbeaten 75 off 67 balls, featuring eight fours and three sixes. Opener Matthew Nandu contributed a solid 63 off 107 balls, anchoring the innings with three fours. Their partnership of 115 runs for the fifth wicket proved pivotal in the chase.
Young’s captaincy and batting prowess were on full display as he guided his team to victory with 57 balls to spare. He sealed the win in style by hitting a six-over long-on off left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys. This victory allowed the CWI Academy to claim the series 2-1 after Emerging Ireland had won the first match by 26 runs and the CWI Academy had responded with a seven-wicket win in the second encounter.
Upcoming first-class matches
The teams are now set to transition to a series of four-day, first-class matches, with the first game scheduled for November 25 and the second on December 2 at the Coolidge Cricket Ground. These matches will provide an opportunity for more extended and high-quality cricket competition.
In the first innings, Emerging Ireland found themselves in trouble against the spin trio of Ashmead Nedd, Joshua Bishop, and Kevin Wickham. Off-spinner Ashmead Nedd picked up three wickets for 28 runs in his nine overs, while left-arm spinner Joshua Bishop contributed three wickets for 32 runs from his 10 overs. Part-time leg-spinner Kevin Wickham secured three crucial wickets for 42 runs in 8.4 overs.
Emerging Ireland’s Stephen Doheny displayed resilience with a top score of 64 off 97 balls. He formed a valuable partnership of 63 runs for the third wicket with Morgan Topping. However, Emerging Ireland suffered a collapse, losing five wickets for just 19 runs, which hindered their progress. Topping contributed 20 runs, and Thomas Mayes, batting at eight, added 27.
The CWI Academy squad predominantly consisted of players from the CWI high-performance program, including those who had recently participated in the West Indies Super50 Cup and the Headley-Weekes Tri-Series. The series of matches between the two sides aimed to provide high-quality playing time and foster competitive challenges.
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