Simmons hopes team’s display will ease Hurricane’s distress

Coach of the St Kitts and Nevis Patriots Phil Simmons, hoped that the team’s performance in the 2017 Hero Caribbean Premier League (CPL) would have eased the minds of residents in the Leeward Islands as they had to endure Hurricane Irma.

The Category Five hurricane struck the Leeward Islands on Tuesday night, the same time the Patriots were playing Trinbago Knight Riders in Qualifier One. The Patriots defeated the Knight Riders by 38 runs at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba to qualify for Saturday’s final.

A number of players on the team are from the Leeward Islands including Antiguan Devon Thomas, while Tonito Willet and Jeremiah Louis are both from St Kitts and Nevis.

On Tuesday night, Simmons said hopefully the cricket would have been a positive distraction for residents in the Leeward Islands.

“All of us on the Patriots, our hearts and minds are over there and hoping that it is not as destructive as they are predicting and everybody would be safe. This (victory) will go a long way in helping them ease their minds for a little while.”

Asked if members of the team contacted their families back home Simmons said, “I am sure everybody was in contact with their families during the day (on Tuesday) when they started hearing that it was heading that way. I think everybody would be anxious to see what happens overnight, where it goes from there and then they can call again and make sure everybody is alright. I am sure they have been in touch.”