COACH PHILLIP: “NEVIS PERFORMED WELL BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN BETTER”

By:Curtis Morton

Coach of the Nevis under 19 team, which participated in the Leeward Islands under 19 tournament, which was recently held in Antigua, Adelvin Phillip, on Wednesday 20th April, took time out to give the Nevisian sporting fraternity an account of his stewardship.

Phillip was quick to point out that the team performed creditably but that that performance would have been even better, had they been better prepared. He noted that he just had about two proper training sessions with the squad before they journeyed to Antigua.

He reported that Nevis won the first of the 50 over matches versus Anguilla quite handsomely with Ross Powell and Jamie Cornelius scoring half centuries.

However, they were thoroughly thrashed by Antigua & Barbuda in game two. A game in which Antigua scored over 300 runs in their 50 overs. He had high praise for one of the young Antiguan batsmen known as TIWILLY, who is actually the brother of the late Runako Morton. He stated that he is very aggressive and has some of the Runako batting qualities.

They were also beaten by St.Maarten in the third 50 overs contest. Nevis placed fourth in the 50 overs competition.

However, he indicated that he had a serious talk with the team prior to the start of the two day tournament and they really stepped up their game.

He highlighted an outstanding innings by all-rounder Ravindra Balgobin who in the match versus St.Kitts, came in at number 9, with his team reeling at 70 for 7 and scored a masterly 101 not out to take the score to a competitive 260, which helped them to earn a draw.

He noted that Jamie Cornelius took the second most wickets in the tournament—16 and Tiwan Prentice took 12 with his left arm leg spinners.

He also stated that Keon Pemberton was the fastest of the speedsters and although he did not get a lot of wickets, he thoroughly impressed all who saw him.

He described Ross Powell as playing a lot of ‘big man shots.’

‘He is ready for the bigger league,’ he opined.

All told, Phillip is expecting at least five Nevisian selectees on the Leeward Islands team, when it is eventually released.

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