Report from The Barbados Nation Newspaper.

Tough Opener for Barbados.

It was a tough but fruitful experience for the Barbados’ blind cricket team as their counterparts from England won a historic one-sided match by 225 runs at the Police Sports Complex yesterday.

The experienced Englishmen, No.3 in the world, were impressive as they amassed an imposing 295 for seven in their 25 overs with three batsmen retiring.

It was the first match ever for Blind Barbados and they managed 70 when they had a turn at the crease.

Despite the outcome, Minister of Social Transformation, Hamilton Lashley said the nine-day tour by the British side was a breakthrough for people with disabilities.

“I think it is a revolutionary concept in bringing this new, innovative type of cricket to Barbados and the Barbados Council for the Disabled must be congratulated for making this match a reality,” he said.

“It certainly augurs well for the development of this and other sports for persons with disabilities and it raises for the first time the higher level of viability for persons with disabilities.

“Also, it is critical at a time like this when the Ministry of Social Transformation is working towards a higher level of sensitisation and awareness in Barbados for persons with disabilities,” Lashley noted.

“It is against this background that around this same time next year we are planning to stage the first National Disability Games which will fall the day after the Senior Games,” Lashley revealed.

Nathan Foy topscored for Blind England with 57 before retiring, while other good contributions came from Timothy Guttridge with 49 and opener Peter Mckelvaney, who made 34 .

Captain Adam Benjamin weighed in with 25 while England’s total was boosted by 47 extras.

In their turn at the crease, the Barbados blind team lost the wickets of Ronald Welch and Roger Vaughan in the first over which was bowled by Samuels.

Anne-Marie Lee, one of two females in the Barbadian line-up, also failed to score but the partially-sighted Walter Yearwood delighted the crowd of around 800 with some sweetly struck shots down through mid-off and mid-on.

Yearwood made the topscore of 14 which included four twos, while the totally blind opening batsman Anderson Lowe was very patient in making six runs but had the distinction of hitting a four.

Another B1 player, Elviston Maloney, also hit a boundary in making six runs as well as last man Granville Carter, who made five not out.

Summarised scores: Blind England 295-7 – three retired out – in 25 overs (Nathan Foy 57, Timothy Guttridge 49, Brinley Reynolds 41, Peter McKelvaney 34, Adam Benjamin 25, Geoff Smith 18 n.o, Keryn Seale 14, Heindrich Swanepoel 10 n.o; A.Denny 1-49, W.Yearwood 1-52, R.Welch 1-61).

Blind Barbados 70 in 13.2 overs (Walter Yearwood 14, Anderson Lowe 6, Elviston Maloney 6; Andrew Dalby-Welsh 2-2, D.Samuels 2-3, Heindrich Swanepoel 2-4, Reter Mckelvaney 2-12, M.Northwood 1-9, N.Prior 1-12). Blind England won by 225 runs.

Barbados Tour  Scorecard