MATCH 2: HARDTIMES BULLS VS. RAWLINS VOLCANOES
As was the case last week, Match 2 featured a much-anticipated local derby between the Bulls, who were looking to secure their berth in the semifinals, and the Volcanoes, who were searching for their first victory of the tournament. Captain Jhaidel Allen won the toss for the Volcanoes and elected to bowl first. The entire game was a seesaw battle between both sides. Rawlins restricted the Bulls to 33-1 in 4 overs courtesy of a magnificent opening spell by Rondre Daniel of 2 overs for 6 runs. He was supported by Tariq Edwards, who snared 1-27 in his 2 overs. Captain Weslie Huggins and Davis Webbe then wrestled back the initiative, with Huggins leading the Bulls’ batting with 29 while Webbe’s innings of 14 provided impetus in the latter stages. The Bulls ended their 7 overs on 83-3. Edwards, Jevon Manners and Allen each collected a wicket, with Allen’s coming in the jackpot over. Rawlins got off to a terrible start, losing Daniel via run-out in the first over with the score on 10. That brought Manners to the crease and, together with captain and Man of the Match Allen, the pair put on a 51-run partnership before Manners was dismissed in the jackpot over by Huggins for 27. The seesaw battle came down to the final over with the Volcanoes needing 7 runs for victory, a target sealed in emphatic fashion by Edwards, who struck a huge six over long on to see his side home. The Volcanoes finished on 88-2 in 6.3 overs. Official Result: Norhtek Networking Limited Rawlins Volcanoes beat Starlight Promotions
Hardtimes Bulls by 4 wickets. Match 3: Duncan’s Heavy Equipment Rentals Chicken stone Mustangs vs. Clive Evelyn Construction Hanley’s Road Mad Dawgs Mad Dawgs Leash Mustangs Match 3 was a game of high stakes for both teams. The Mustangs needed a handsome victory for any outside chance of semifinals qualification, while the Mad Dawgs needed to win and hope the Thunderbolts would lose to keep their own qualification hopes alive. The Mustangs won a crucial toss and elected to field first. It proved a good decision, as they snared the crucial wicket of Mad Dawgs captain Shurwandy Merchant for 4 in the first over. The Mustangs kept up the pressure, restricting the Mad Dawgs to 66 by the end of the 5th over. Enter Teshron Maynard. With the support of young Jaedon Browne, the pair plundered 30 runs off the jackpot over bowled by Arjune Baliram before taking 20 off the final over bowled by Adrian Leitch, lifting their team to a competitive 116-3 in 7 overs. Man of the Match Maynard finished with 44 not out while Browne finished on 13 not out. For the Mustangs, Aaron Balkrisson finished with 2-14 in 2 overs while Nicholas Herro finished with 1-13 in his solitary over. The Mustangs got off to a flyer, thanks in large part to captain Sachin Seenarine, who hit 3 consecutive sixes in the first over. He was dismissed in the following over by his counterpart Merchant for 18. The Mustangs kept fighting throughout their innings, aided partly by some ill-disciplined Mad Dawgs bowling and gritty contributions from Vishal Kumar, Aaron Balkrisson and Nicholas Herro. Balkrisson made 11 before being bowled by Gastello Manners in the jackpot over. With 28 needed from the final 12 deliveries, captain Merchant returned to bowl a superlative penultimate over, conceding just 3 runs and, more crucially, snaring the wicket of Herro for 12 courtesy of a superb diving catch by Clive Maynard on the long off boundary. Vishal Kumar had too much to do in the final over and was dismissed for 35, effectively ending the chase for the Mustangs, whose innings closed on 104-5 in 7 overs. Official Result: Clive Evelyn Construction Hanley’s Road Mad Dawgs beat Duncan’s Heavy Equipment Rentals Chicken stone Mustangs by 12 runs. Match 4: Bull’s Gym Zion Thunderbolts vs. Precision Steel Works Old Manor Bamboos Shock and Awe: Thunderbolts Electrocute Splintered Bamboos The final match of the day saw the Thunderbolts, needing a win to secure their semifinals berth in the wake of the Mad Dawgs’ result, face off against the Bamboos, who, despite 2 defeats, still needed a big win to remain in contention. The crucial toss was won by Thunderbolts captain Dio Hendrickson, who elected to bat first. Bamboos opening bowler Kenron Freeman bowled with great pace and made an early impression, removing the in-form Sheldon Browne in the first over for just 2. That brought captain Hendrickson to the crease. He and Ulano Smithen, aided by some ill-disciplined bowling from the Bamboos, carried the score to 72-1 in the 4th over. The Thunderbolts looked set for a big total. However, a herculean bowling effort from the Bamboos, led by captain Tyger Browne and Gavin Clarke Jr., saw the Bamboos claw their way back into the game. Browne ended with figures of 1-21 in 2 overs, which included a 14-run jackpot over, while Clarke Jr., in his solitary over, conceded just 2 runs and claimed the key wicket of Smithen (12), who was dismissed via a brilliant diving catch behind the wicket by captain Browne. The Bamboos conceded just 24 runs in the final 3 overs, meaning the Thunderbolts closed their innings on 96-3. A Man of the Match batting performance from captain Hendrickson, who contributed 28, proved crucial as only he and Smithen reached double figures in the innings. The Thunderbolts matched fire with fire as Smithen worked up a head of steam and delivered some thunderbolts, dismissing the in-form Rohan Laborde in the first over for just 2. That set the tone as the Thunderbolts’ disciplined bowling bogged down the Bamboos throughout. Captain Tyger Browne strove valiantly to pull his team from the brink, scoring 19 before being bowled by Nyanjay Liburd in the 4th over, the only Bamboos batsman to reach double figures. With 40 needed from 3 overs, the Bamboos spectacularly capitulated in the jackpot over, suffering two needless run-outs of Kenron Freeman and Shedano Liburd. The chaos resulted in 8 penalty runs being deducted from their total, highlighting the mire the Bamboos found themselves in throughout the chase. The Bamboos closed their innings on 70-4 in 7 overs, bowing out of the tournament. Official Result: Bull’s Gym Zion Thunderbolts beat Precision Steel Works Old Manor Bamboos by 26 runs. The action will now climax on Monday 25 th May- Whit Monday, with the semi-finals and grand finals.
