Kings dominate as SVG Emancipation Festival gets underway

Droves of enthusiastic cricket fans turned out at Arnos Vale Ground on Thursday night to watch the Kingstown Kings defeat the Leeward Lions by seven wickets in the opening clash of the inaugural SVG Emancipation Cricket Festival.
The crowd—expected to grow over the weekend—ushered in Emancipation celebrations with spirited cricket action, kicking off the festivities in the Land of the Blessed.
Exciting fireworks, drum section, and dancing cheerleaders entertained spectators who paid keen attention as Kingstown skipper Kesrick Williams got the better of his opposite number Carlos Brathwaite.
Kingstown restricted the Leeward Lions to 119 for nine in 20 overs, justifying Williams’ decision to field first. Later, the successful Kings reached 120 for three in 14.3 overs on the back of a blistering half-century from South African-born American Obus Pienaar, who hit 52 from 25 balls.

Dejourn Charles came unbeaten on 45 off 40 to secure victory in front of a vibrant crowd.
Speaking to Barbados TODAY after Thursday’s defeat, Brathwaite gave his thoughts on the initiative.
“I think it’s good. My first brush with cricket in St Vincent would be VPL (Vincy Premier League). This is a tournament now which is short and sharp. It is for a good cause, talking about Emancipation, and talking about when West Indies were great – one of the reasons West Indies were great is because it was us versus the rest,” he said. “Tournaments like these are important, and I’m just happy to be invited and to play in it.”
Hosted by the Government of St Vincent and the Grenadines, and spearheaded by the Ministry of Tourism and Culture, the SVG Emancipation Cricket Festival is a groundbreaking celebration which unites cricket with emancipation themes and cultural festivities.
The tournament features international superstars such as Brathwaite, Bangladeshi Shakib Al Hasan (Kingstown Kings), Barbadian-American Aaron Jones (Grenadines Whalers), West Indians John Campbell, Obed McCoy (Leeward Lions), as well as Test vice-captain Jomel Warrican, who skippers the Whalers.
The event also commemorates the 50th anniversary of the West Indies inaugural Cricket World Cup victory in 1975. As such, cricket legends Sir Clive Lloyd, Sir Andy Roberts, Deryck Murray and local Vincentian hero Mike Findlay will participate in Saturday’s panel discussion, Cricket: a Public Good, hosted by veteran international cricket commentator and journalist Andrew Mason at the Beachcombers Hotel.
Earlier, Tourism Minister Carlos James gave a preview of the event.
“It will be one of the biggest international cricket festivals ever to be had in the entire region, and we’re going to marry it with culture, so you are going to have some entertainment with that, local entertainment and international entertainment as part of the package.” (RW)