MORTON
CHARLESTOWN, Nevis, CMC:
TRINIDAD-BASED West Indies batsman Runako Morton did not lead or even represent Nevis in their Leeward Islands Cricket Association (LICA) NAGICO limited overs match against St. Maarten yesterday at Grove Park as planned, after a row over team selection.
Morton had returned home this weekend for the game, but he, team manager Mervin Richardson, a former Cable and Wireless top executive, and newly appointed coach Raphael Wallace all became casualties yesterday morning after selectors sought to introduce two senior players to bolster the young unit that lost by 146 runs in the LICA three-day game on Saturday.
Nevis Cricket Association (NCA) president Keith Scar-borough, advocating a new 'youth policy', insisted on keeping the teenagers in the side and Morton, Richardson and Wallace withdrew from the game at the last minute.
The beleaguered president had earlier seen several defections within his association, among his selection panel, and first coach Egbert Halliday - all of whom have complained about his authoritarian style of leadership.
But Scarborough is soldiering on with a depleted association.
On the field of play, St. Maarten won the toss and batted and were bundled out for 111 in 26 overs with Romain Doodnauth top-scoring with 32.
Stand-in skipper Daynason Browne bowling medium pace was the main destroyer for the home side with four for 14 from five overs, and leg-spinner Akito Willett, fresh from the TCL Group West Indies Under-19 tournament in St Vincent, picked up three for four from 3.3 overs.
Willett was one of three Under-19 Leewards players named in the line-up, the others being Allan Powell and Javier Liburd.
