Match Report – 4th Match VPL 4: Dark View Explorers vs Fort Charlotte Strikers
Fort Charlotte Strikers won the toss and chose to bowl.
The powerplay was dominated by Alick Athanaze, playing shots all around the ground. He kick started his innings when he played a reverse sweep for six off the left arm spin of Rasheed Fredericks. Preston McSween bowled his first delivery of VPL really well, extracting swing and kissing the edge but it flew between the Keeper and wide first slip for four. There was no respite by Athanaze as he continued plundering the attack with numerous elegant shots.
Ray Jordan bowled the 3rd over and only conceded 3 runs. By the time the powerplay was finished, Explorers were 53/0. Athanaze had 40 runs from 13 deliveries, hitting 3 fours and 4 sixes. Athanaze brought up his half century in the sixth over, off only 17 deliveries. Preston McSween had a horrible VPL debut, his two overs conceding 35 runs, 29 of those off the bat of Athanaze, his Windward Islands team mate.
The Athanaze onslaught continued and when he was dismissed by a corker from Ray Jordan, he had already done immense damage, scoring his 88 runs from 31 deliveries, hitting 9 fours and 6 sixes. It is arguably the best knock of the VPL. There was some respite for the Strikers as Ray Jordan also cleaned up Dean Browne with a sensational inswinging yorker. That gave Strikers some energy and they only conceded 25 runs from the final three overs, keeping Explorers to 116/5 from their 10 overs.
Darius Martin, missing the last two edition because of injury, was back with a bang and immediately struck, taking the wicket of Hackshaw in the first over. Miles Bascombe took a liking to Deron Greaves during the 2nd over, hitting 2 fours and 1 six but Greaves got him attempting a delicate cut, being caught at short third man. The youngster, Luke Wilson bowling his tantalising off spin, had Sealroy Williams swinging for the fence but could only hold out at long on.
Joshua James smashed 3 boundaries, and continued to give the Strikers some hope, and propel them to 39/3 at the end of the powerplay. Strikers couldn’t get any real momentum in their innings as they kept losing wickets regularly. Joshua James offered some hope, making 32 from 22 deliveries, hitting 3 fours and 2 sixes. Strikers took 20 runs off the 9th over but with Darius Martin set to bowl the final over, it was going to be a next to impossible task to get a win. Explorers won handsomely, by 27 runs, with Athanaze clearly being the difference between both sides.
Dark View Explorers 116/5 (10 overs)
Fort Charlotte Strikers 89/8 (10 overs)