Dark View Explorers vs La Soufriere Hikers Match Report – 24th Match VPL 4
Explorers won the toss and chose to bowl.
Hikers are on a different level to the other teams. While all the other teams have been struggling to get runs in the powerplay, they seem to have no issue with scoring at a blistering pace. Hodge pulled Martin for four in the first over and Pope got a leg glance away to the fine leg boundary. Gidron Pope pulled Dean Browne for four in the 2nd over and also collected a magnificent straight six, holding the pose for the camera. Pope was in a no nonsense mood and pulled a rank long hop from Sealron Williams in the 3rd over for another maximum. Kavem Hodge joined the party and struck a six and four to help drive Hikers to 50/0 at the end of the powerplay.
Sealron Williams broke the partnership, tempting Hodge into a slog and had him caught on the mid wicket boundary by the safe hands of Romano Pierre. Alick Athanaze bowled an economical over to help peg back the Hikers to 60/1 after 6 overs. Dillon Douglas swung two length deliveries from Dean Browne for maximums, one flying into the nearby tennis court. Douglas swung a full toss for six off Athanaze but was later dismissed by the same bowler for 31 from 14 deliveries, hitting 1 four and 3 sixes. Gidron Pope swung big down the ground and got an outside edge down to the third man boundary to push Hikers to 100/2 after 8 overs.
Hikers didn’t get the finish they would have expected, losing six wickets in the final two overs for 17 runs. They finished on 117/8 from their 10 overs. Gidron Pope top scored with 43 from 22 deliveries, hitting 3 fours and 3 sixes. Darius Martin took 3 for 22 from his 2 overs and Luke Wilson had 2 for 20 from his 2 overs.
Explorers had to show more intent in the powerplay and they did that in the first over when Athanaze made a big swing after Hodge but the ball missed everything and went for four byes. Athanaze connected brilliantly with a slog sweep on the final ball of the over for six. Othneil Lewis proved difficult to hit during the 2nd over of the innings, keeping Explorers to 14/0. Hodge bowled the 3rd over and Athanaze smoked a good length delivery down long on for four. Romano Pierre wanted some of the fun and he slogged to the mid wicket boundary then cut down to the third man boundary for back to back fours. Hikers allowed a misfield during the 4th over and Athanaze added salt to the wounds as he swept spinner Othneil Lewis to the square leg boundary for four. Explorers were thankful for a leg side wide that went to the boundary to take them to 42/0 at the end of the powerplay.
Explorers were getting good overs and collected 31 runs from overs 5 to 7 to take Explorers to 73/0, with both Pierre and Athanaze striking the ball well. Explorers had a massive boost when they took 19 runs from the 8th over bowled by Dillon Douglas. A mis field allowed Athanaze to collect and easy boundary then Romano Pierre slammed a pitched up delivery over long on for six. He then swept back to back deliveries for four to take the equation to 26 from 12 deliveries.
Romano Pierre was in a mood and he slashed after a wide delivery bowled by Rayan Williams and got it to the point bouindary for four. Alick Athanaze drove a massive six off the final delivery of the penultimate over to leave the equation at 11 runs from 6 deliveries. Kemron Strough assigned the last over, won the game for the Hikers as Explorers could on take 6 runs from the over and Hikers went away as victors by 4 runs. Romano Pierre top scored with 51 from 32 deliveries, hitting 7 fours and 2 sixes. Athanaze remained not out on 44 from 30 deliveries hitting 4 fours and 2 sixes.
La Soufriere Hikers 117/8 (10 overs)
Dark View Explorers 113/1 (10 overs)