Dark View Explorers vs Salt Pond Breakers Eliminator 1 Match Report – 25th Match VPL 4
Explorers won the toss and chose to bowl.
Darius Martin took the new ball and Kadir Nedd through his bat and spanked a pitched up delivery through the off side for four off the first delivery of the eliminator. Martin followed with two shorter length deliveries that beat Nedd but Nedd flashed after the next delivery and got another four square of the wicket. Rickford Walker opening the batting with Nedd drove for four off his first delivery, taking 14 runs from the first over. Nedd slapped a length delivery from Dean Browne during the 2nd over for six over long on then flicked a length ball behind square for four. Dean Browne pitched on a good length outside the off stump and Walker couldn’t resist the booming drive and could only get the outer half of the bat to give Sealron Williams at backward point an easy catch. Kadeem Alleyne joined Nedd at the crease and immediately guided a length ball to the vacant third man boundary for four.
Sealron Williams who has shone for Explorers with the ball at the backend of the tournament, had Nedd bowled as he charged down the wicket and attempted a slog. Williams should have had a double wicket over but Alleyne trying to drive on the up didn’t get enough elevation but Darius Martin at mid off couldn’t get his hands up in time and saw the ball bursting through and going to the boundary for four. Luke Wilson bowling with flight and turn, over flighted one to Kadeem Alleyne and was driven for six. That didn’t deter him as he bowled another one and confused Alleyne as he didn’t know whether to drive or slog and played an inbetween shot and skied up an easy chance but two men converge and made a mess of it. Beniton Stapleton rubbed salt into the wounds and smacked a flight delivery over long on to take Breakers to 53/2 at the end of the powerplay.
Sealron Williams got Alleyne playing a booming drive after a wide pitched up delivery, only to send it into the hands of the shirt third man. There was a short rain break soon after the dismissal which offered both teams a chance to re-group. The break worked in the favour of Explorers as Williams got another wicket in the over, having Stapleton caught by Pierre on the mid wicket boundary attempting a big heave. Williams completed his spell taking 3 wickets for 17 runs. Alick Athanaze joined the wickets list as he had Atticus Browne, who had previously driven him for four, out caught attempting an expansive cut shot. Breakers was struggling at 65/5 after 6 overs, a terrible effort after the start they had.
Athanaze took two wickets during the 8th over, bowling both Ryan John and Daveian Barnum attempting shots to the leg side. Ricavo Williams dispatched his first delivery over the square boundary for a maximum but Breakers were struggling on a perfectly good batting strip, being 87/7 after 8 overs. Ricavo Williams was playing a rescue innings as he smashed the ball all around the ground with immense power and powered the Breakers to 117/8 from their 10 overs. Ricavo Williams remained not on 30 from 9 deliveries, dealing only in sixes as he hit five of them. Alick Athanaze took 3 wickets for 14 runs to be the pick of the bowlers for the Explorers.
Explorers were given an early life in their chase when Pierre was dropped at point by Nedd off the bowling of Johnson. The over wasn’t costly as it only conceded 5 runs. Breakers put down another catch during the 2nd over, that of the tournament’s leading run scorer, Alick Athanaze. Athanaze hooked a short deliver for six during the third over but Explorers found it very hard to get the ball away, being 17/0 after 3 overs. It was time to press on the accelerator and Athanaze did that as he swung down the ground then drove elegantly over covers off the off spin of Atticus Browne. Explorers could only finish the powerplay on 26/0.
Pierre slog swept a six and drove through cover for a boundary but was run out attempting a none existant run, only for the none striker to not move. Explorers at the half way mark were 38/1, requiring another 80 runs from 30 deliveries. Breakers dropped their 3rd catch of match when captain Johnson missed a skied attempt at long off from Shaman Hooper. Hooper struck the next delivery down the ground for six but fell the very next delivery, finally being caught by Johnson off the bowling of Alleyne.
There wasn’t any light at the end of the tunnel for the Explorers as Ryan John drained their hopes as he bowled Athanaze and had captain James caught off the next delivery. New batsman Tilron Harry edged twice for four but was caught off the final delivery of the over to have Explorers strangled at 63/5 after 7 overs. The result was inevitable from there on in, with Explorers only getting 90/6 from their 10 overs, being comprehensively whooped by the Breakers.
Salt Pond Breakers 117/8 (10 overs)
Dark View Explorers 90/6 (10 overs)