The Babonneau Senior Cricket Team emerged as champions of the Prime Minister’s Independence T20 Cup following a thrilling encounter against Castries Central on Sunday. The fixture at Mindoo Philip Park drew strong public support as the two teams battled for silverware.
After winning the toss and electing to field, Babonneau found themselves under pressure early, as openers Theo Edward and Stephen Naitram raced to quick-fire scores of 31 and 30 runs, respectively. However, Babonneau responded brilliantly, removing both dangerous batters and Jamaal James in quick succession.
A series of tight overs saw Central Castries’ middle order struggle for runs before Jaden Elibox came to the crease and played an outstanding knock, scoring 40 off just 18 deliveries to help lift his team to a competitive total of 183 all out in 20 overs. This total could have been even higher if not for the loss of steady wickets, with five of them falling to pace bowler Sanjay Hayle.
Though Hayle was put under pressure early in the innings, he made a strong comeback, singlehandedly dismantling the middle and lower order, finishing with figures of 5/41.
During the second innings, in-form batsman Dane Edwards was dropped early on the boundary. He capitalised on the opportunity, making Central Castries pay by scoring 34 before being dismissed. His opening partner, Alex Joseph, fought well for his 50 off 34 deliveries.
However, Central Castries did not go down without a fight. Tight bowling, particularly from Dornan Edward—who claimed the wickets of Caleb Thomas and skipper Shervon Joseph—started turning the tide in favour of the Castries-based team. With a rebuilding effort needed, a crucial 31 from Larry Edward steadied the ship for Babonneau. When Edward lost his wicket to Tyler Sookwa, it brought Sanjay Hayle to the crease, with 16 runs required off the final eight deliveries.
Paired with Sachin Cepal, Hayle played a decisive role with the bat, smashing a massive six over the stands off a no-ball in the final over, bowled by Dillan John—an effort that solidified his Man of the Match credentials. The battle between bat and ball continued to the final delivery, with Babonneau needing just one run for victory. A wide delivery adjudged by the umpire brought the match to an anticlimactic end.
An emotional head coach, Jervaughn Charles, expressed immense pride in his team, crediting their dynamic approach for the victory.
“These are young men who are always hungry to be match-winners, and they stepped up to the plate despite facing one of the strongest teams,” he said.
“They constantly want to prove themselves at the senior level, and that’s what we want from our young players. Throughout the tournament, we saw different individuals stepping up in crucial moments, and today, it was the younger players who rose to the occasion. We are not a team that relies on one or two players to carry the load; everyone has a role to play.”
Following the final, Sabinus Emmanuel was awarded Tournament MVP honours, having scored the most runs in the competition—335 runs, including three consecutive centuries. Dornan Edward claimed the award for most wickets, taking 12 scalps throughout the tournament.
The tournament serves as a precursor to the Saint Lucia Premier League T20, which will act as a semi-professional cricket circuit showcasing the island’s most talented players.
