PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad (CMC) — Out-of-favour West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons narrowly missed out on a century as his Merry Boys Sports were sent crashing from the Sunday League Limited Overs competition on Sunday.

The 25-year-old Simmons carved out a superb 93 off 92 balls with eight fours and two sixes but the defending champions were dismissed for 257, in pursuit of Queen’s Park’s daunting 299 for five off 49 overs.

Simmons, a pugnacious right-hander, a useful medium pacer and outstanding fielder, has been overlooked by selectors since returning from the one-day tour of Australia this year.

He staged a fluent 125-run partnership with Mario Belcon (51) for the first wicket but when both fell in close succession, the Merry Boys’ resistance ended.

Earlier, another discarded West Indies batsman Runako Morton registered a stylish century for Queen’s Park to propel them to their eventual total in the semi-final fixture at the weekend at Inshan Ali Park.

He slammed an unbeaten 129 with four fours and nine sixes off 125 balls and shared an important second wicket partnership of 90 with T&T and West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo who made 68 off 67 balls with 10 fours and a six.

West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard was also among the runs with 40 while Jamaican leg-spinner Alton Beckford was the top bowler with two for 40 from fours overs.

In the final later this month, Queen’s Park will meet Central Sports who shocked the powerful PowerGen Sports team by 11 runs at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.