By Neto Baptiste
West Indies fast bowler, Alzarri Joseph, bagged a total of nine wickets and amassed 158 runs across two innings to single-handedly dethrone defending champions, PIC Liberta Blackhawks and guide CMW New Withorpes Lions to a 161-runs triumph in the Antigua and Barbuda Cricket Association (ABCA) Two Day Final over the weekend.
Playing at Liberta, Joseph smashed five fours and 10 sixes to compile 97 off 74 deliveries and help guide the visitors to 183 all out after they were asked to bat by their hosts. The rampant Joseph was out lbw to Chamiqueko Landerfort in the 38th over.
Leeward Islands’ Tyrone Williams Jr contributed with 46 off 73 at the top of the order. Javier Spencer was the pick of the bowlers for Blackhawks with three wickets for 31 runs from seven overs. There were two wickets each for Karima Gore (2/63) and Kofi James (2/20).
Joseph then tore into the Blackhawks batting line-up, claiming eight wickets for just 24 runs in 15 overs to remove the home team for just 146 in 42 overs. Joseph also bowled four maidens in his 15 overs.
Elroy Francis Jr hit a top score of 38 off 60 deliveries while Kofi James and Michael Greaves contributed with 26 and 21 runs, respectively.
Batting for a second time, New Winthorpes came under early pressure, losing their first five wickets for just 40 runs. Then, in walked Joseph as the fearless crusader smashed eight sixes and one four to reach 61 off 31 deliveries and help his team post 185 all out and leave the home team needing 223 for victory heading into tea on the final day.
Demari Benta played a mature knock of 42 off 101 balls with three fours and a six, while Jedidiah Martin made 24 not out from 30 balls. Leeward Islands all-rounder, Rahkeem Cornwall, picked up five wickets for 42 runs in 15 overs while Gore snatched three for 34 in 11 overs.
Blackhawks, in their second innings, were 64 for four off 10.2 overs when they opted to concede the game. Greaves made 35 off 26 while Ishmael Peters claimed two for 25 off four overs, bowling for the visitors.
It means that New Winthorpes Lions now holds both the Two Day and Super40 titles with the 2026 instalment of the Super40 set to bowl off in April.
