Against the backdrop of the official CHOGM 2026 cricket launch in London on September 9, a standout exhibition match brought emerging cricketing talent from Antigua and Barbuda face-to-face with a senior side from one of the United Kingdom’s top academic institutions, resulting in a memorable 31-run victory for the Caribbean side.
The Antigua and Barbuda XI was curated specifically for the occasion, drawing together a cohort of promising young players from the nation who are currently based in the UK honing their cricketing skills. The squad included rising prospects Xaveek Toppin, Jaylen Francis, Malique Walsh, Hilroy Andrew, Mekaili Tonge and Demari Benta, alongside UK-based Antiguan and Barbudan player Naequan Carr. A notable addition to the line-up was Matthew Miller, current captain of the Leeward Islands Under-19 team, who is a student at Bede’s Senior School himself.
Led by young Antiguan coach Dion Samuels—who is currently in the UK completing advanced coaching accreditation—the team put on a dominant display of batting and bowling from the first over. After winning the toss and electing to bat first, the Antigua and Barbuda side posted an imposing total of 259 runs for the loss of seven wickets from their 30 allotted overs.
Demari Benta emerged as the standout batsman of the innings, crafting a blistering knock of 86 runs off just 69 deliveries. His aggressive innings included seven well-placed fours and five towering sixes, with a striking strike rate of 125.64 that set the foundation for the team’s big total. Hilroy Andrew backed up Benta’s performance with a valuable 64 runs off 53 balls, while Jaylen Francis chipped in with 27 and Miller contributed a solid 22 against his home side.
In the bowling phase, the Antigua and Barbuda XI maintained their momentum to restrict the Bede’s Senior School batting line-up. Faced with a required run rate of nearly nine runs an over, Bede’s fought hard to reach 228 runs for eight wickets at the end of their 30 overs, falling 31 runs short of the target. Mekaili Tonge led the bowling attack with impressive figures of two wickets for just 21 runs from his four overs, while Andrew completed a superb all-round performance, taking two wickets for 22 runs.
The high-profile fixture, held shortly after the CHOGM 2026 cricket launch, was attended by several senior dignitaries and key figures from the region. Guests included Hon. E.P. Chet Greene, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda Affairs; Sir Vivian Richards, the legendary West Indies cricketer and CHOGM 2026 Envoy; Her Excellency Karen-Mae Hill, Antigua and Barbuda’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom; Celia Roberts-Morgan, Lead for the CHOGM 2026 Business Forum; and diplomatic officials Second Secretary Brent Scotland and Third Secretary Caleb Gardiner.
The match also marked a milestone in the growing sporting partnership between Antigua and Barbuda and Bede’s Senior School. The collaboration is set to expand in February 2027, when Bede’s will host a full cricket tour of Antigua and Barbuda. The upcoming tour will create new opportunities to strengthen sporting, educational and people-to-people connections between the two regions.
Organizers of the fixture extended formal thanks to Ambassador Theon Ali, Antigua and Barbuda’s Ambassador to the State of Qatar, whose sponsorship made it possible for the Antigua and Barbuda players to take part in the historic London match.