Eugene’s historical century could not stop St. Vincent and The Grenadines

(Match 6)COOLIDGE, Antigua – Former Windward Islands batsman John Eugene was in record breaking form, but his unbeaten century, the first in Stanford 20/20 tournament history, could not prevent his team St. Maarten from going down to St. Vincent and the Grenadines in a 10-run thriller at the Stanford Cricket Ground on Friday night.
Final scores in the match, which was interrupted twice by rain – St. Vincent and the Grenadines 168 for four; St. Maarten 158 for six.

Required to score over eight runs per over for victory, St. Maarten found themselves in serious trouble with just 50 runs after 10 overs.

The run-rate continued to climb, but Eugene, who led St. Maarten's run-chase, went on the attack in the 17th over, by this time they needed 18 runs an over. He took 20 runs off the 17th over bowled by Alston Bobb, 24 of the 25 scored in the 18th delivered by Kenroy Martin, but was restricted to 14 in the 19th over.

In search of 14 runs off the final over, Eugene was restricted to a single off the first ball and by the time he returned on strike, he only had time to complete his century as left-arm pacer Keon Peters was right on target.

The 37-year-old Eugene, who scored most of the 66-run sixth wicket partnership with Kenroy David (eight), joined Chris Gayle as the only West Indian to score a century in 20/20. During his swashbuckling innings for which he collected the US$25,000 Man-of-the-Match award, Eugene hit seven fours and six sixes off just 46 balls.

Earlier, an unbroken 118-run fifth wicket stand between Lindon James and Alston Bobb rescued St. Vincent, who electing to bat, were reduced to 50 for four with Romel Currency (11), Miles Bascombe (14), Donwell Hector (six) and Hyram Shallow (11) all back in the pavilion after 10 overs.

The two, especially James, who threatened to take home the US$100,000 for hitting the clock atop the southern stand, were particularly aggressive.

Two of his four sixes ended atop the southern stand, but the prize money on offer for the first player to hit the clock, remains for at least another game.

In the end, James and Bobb added an unbroken 118 runs for the fifth wicket. James was 73 not out, which included four sixes and five fours from 37 balls while Bobb got 38 from 27 balls.

Romain Doodnauth 1-11 and Eugene 1-25 were the wicket takers.

James collected the Play-of-the-Day for one of his four sixes. He pocketed US$10,000.