Leewards' Gavin Tonge ... took two for 10

The Leeward Islands will face neighbours Windward Islands in the first semi-final of the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) 50-over tournament at Sabina Park tomorrow.

Good performances from leg-spinner Anthony Martin and wicketkeeper Jahmar Hamilton pushed the Leewards to a 14-run win, under the Duckworth/Lewis Method over Guyana at Sabina Park yesterday.

The Leewards first made 179 off 39.4 overs after the game was reduced to 40 overs due to a change of pitch earlier in the day.

Hard-hitting 20-year-old Hamilton topscored with 37 off 27 balls, including four sixes and a four, while opener Montcin Hodge chipped in with 31 off 61 balls.

Guyana, in reply, were then restricted to 93 for five off 23 overs when late evening showers interrupted their innings for a second and final time.

dusty Sabina strip

The 27-year-old Martin, who was getting the ball to turn on what had become a dusty Sabina Park strip, claimed 3 for five off six overs, including three maidens with pacer Gavin Tonge, 2 for 20 off four overs, giving best support.

Earlier in the day, the start of the match was delayed for approximately two hours due to a damp pitch.

However, when the match started and with the Leewards on zero without loss after 0.3 overs fast bowler Royston Crandon expressed concern about an area on the pitch where his left foot was landing, and the umpires, in consultation with the match referee, called off the match as the surface was unsatisfactory and dangerous for play.

adjacent pitch

Both captains, however, agreed to play on an adjacent pitch, which was being simultaneously prepared, and in the end saved ground staff at Sabina Park a great deal of embarrassment. Twelve years ago, in 1998, the first Test match between the West Indies and England at Sabina Park was abandoned after less than an hour's play due to the pitch being deemed unfit for play

Yesterday's win moved the Leewards to six points, which was enough to cop second place in the group behind winners Barbados (10 points).

Barbados will play Jamaica at the Trelawny Multi-purpose Stadium in the tournament's second semi-final on Friday.

"Despite all that happened this morning, we tried to keep our cool and deal with the situation for what it is," said Leewards captain, Wilden Cornwall.

"We tried to put a total on the board, and come out and defended it in a good way."

Guyana captain, Ramnaresh Sarwan, said his team tried but in the end it was not good enough.

"Our bowlers did a fairly good job to restrict them. However, again our batsmen failed, and for that we are now out of the tournament," said Sarwan.

Leeward Islands opener Montcin Hodge looks on as Guyana's spinner Devendra Bishoo stoops low to take a return catch to dismiss him for 31 during the WICB regional 50-over tournament match at Sabina Park, yesterday. The Leewards won by 14 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis method and advanced to the semi-finals. - Ian Allen