Sobers XI piles up runs in Legends cricket

Rashawn Worrell hit a classy century on Monday to highlight the commencement of the Barbados Cricket Legends Cup Three-Day competition. Playing for the Sir Garfield Sobers XI,  the 22-year-old left-hander made 143, as his team closed on 292-5 at Dayrells Road.

Put in to bat after the Sir Wesley Hall XI won the toss, the Sobers XI, led by Zachary McCaskie, were off to an inauspicious start, losing their skipper for eight with the score on 11. But West Indies Academy graduate Worrell set about rebuilding with Yvan Grant.

Worrell, who also played schoolboy cricket for St Leonard’s, as well as for Bede’s in England, was evenly matched with Grant. The two added 130 before Grant fell in the 41st over for 57 off 105 balls, including six boundaries.

Another 50-run partnership ensued between Worrell and Jonathan Drakes, the latter contributing 18 off 51 balls with two fours before departing with the score 194-3.

A rapid unbeaten 34 from Demetrius Richards took the game to stumps. Richards faced 46 deliveries, and hit a four and a six on his way.

Worrell, meanwhile, fell with the score on 256. During the most recent West Indies Championship season, in six games for the Academy, the Carlton man hit 24 runs at an average of 22 in six matches, including two fifties. In Monday’s match, he stroked 13 fours and smashed nine sixes, facing 216 balls for his ton.

Worrell was one of four batsmen to score over 500 runs in the 2023 Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Elite Division Three-Day Championship – he made exactly 500 (Ave: 45.45) including two centuries for Carlton.

Tennyson Roach was the last man out for the Sobers XI, adding just two runs to the total. Nathan Sealy was on 17 at stumps, off just 16 balls.

Leg-spinner Shavon Brooks took two for 48 off eight overs to lead the bowling for the Hall XI. Garry Austin captured 1-15 in his eight overs. Stefon King was 1-23 from 11 overs. And Kemar Smith got 1-47 from 15.

Barbados Pride, with a record 24 First Class titles, the most recent in 2023, are preparing for the regional four-day Championship which starts February 1. (TF)