Match Report – 10th Match VPL 4: Fort Charlotte Strikers vs Botanical Gardens Rangers
Fort Charlotte Strikers won the toss and chose to bat.
Larry Edwards bowled the first over and extracted turn, spinning a few past the bat of Miles Bascombe and only allowing two runs off the over. Kimali Williams bowled the 2nd over and had Miles Bascombe chopping on to his stumps. Sealroy Williams pulled his very first delivery for a big six. Strikers got gifted four byes and Sealroy continued to inflict some damage, squirting a full ball square for four. Kesrick Williams bowled himself for the 3rd over and got Sealroy Williams bowled, keeping the Strikers in check. Cosmus Hackshaw took two sixes off the final powerplay over, smoking one of those sixes over the mid wicket pavillion to take Strikers to 34/2.
Razine Browne bowled the 6th over and was struggling, delivering two waist high full toss, one which went for 4 byes. Hackshaw capitalised and took two boundaries off the over, to push the score to 60/2 from six overs. Strikers got some good overs to the backend of their innings, scoring 46 runs from their last four overs. Cosmus Hackshaw top scored with 38 from 22 deliveries, hitting 3 fours and 3 sixes. Crystian Thurton, in as a replacement for injured Preston McSween score 29 not out from 19 deliveries, hitting 1 four and 2 sixes. The highlight off the innings however was the massive six that Joshua James hit, reminiscent of one that Pollard hit in 2012 against Australia, hitting the roof of the double decker stand. Larry Edwards bowled a good spell for the Rangers, conceding only 10 runs from his two overs.
Strikers, seeing that spin bothered Rangers in their last game, started the innings with spin from both ends. Fredericks bowled the first over and kept it to five runs. Javid Harry bowled the 2nd over and had Salvan Browne bowled off a low full toss. Rasheed Fredericks completed his quota of overs for only 11 runs and had Rangers struggling at 13/1 after 3 overs. Andre Fletcher lined up Javid Harry and the 4th over and drove a flighted delivery for six, then smashed a faster one over mid wicket for a big six. Fletcher charged the last delivery and drove hard and flat for another six, 19 runs coming from the 4th over and taking Rangers to 32/1.
Wayne Harper pulled twice for maximum then drove over long on for another maximum, taking 21 runs from the 7th over and pushing Rangers to 70/1, a commanding position to take down the chase. Ray Jordan was brought back for the 8th over and bowled three good deliveries but while attempting a yorker, drifted too far down the leg side and gifted five wides. Ray eventually got a wicket, having Harper caught at cover trying an expansive drive.
The equation was down to 27 runs from 12 deliveries for victory. Joshua James was charged with bowling the penultimate over. He delivered a magnificent over only conceding six runs. Kirton Lavia bowled the last over and made a critical mistake when he bowled a no ball off the 2nd delivery and sprayed it for four byes. He bounced back by bowling two venomous yorkers. He however missed the mark as his next two attempted yorkers was too full and was dispatched for a four and six. With six runs to win off the last delivery, the bowler went wide on a length and was clubbed down the ground for six, Fletcher winning the game for the Rangers in emphatic style. Fletcher remained not out on 55 from 34 deliveries, hitting 4 fours and 5 sixes.
Fort Charlotte Strikers 106/4 (10 overs)
Botanical Gardens Rangers 107/3 (10 overs)