Salt Pond Breakers vs Botanical Gardens Rangers Qualifier 2 Match Report – 28th Match VPL 4
Breakers won the toss and chose to bat.
Larry Edwards took the new ball and Breakers were looking positive, trying not to soak up dot balls. Nedd drove Edwards over cover for a beautiful boundary. Nedd slogged Dember during the 2nd over for a bullet like boundary. Dember slowed up a delivery and tempted Walker into a big swing but was bowled in the process. Kadeem Alleyne lined up Edwards in the 3rd over and drove effortlessly over the long off boundary for a maximum. Larry Edwards had Nedd caught on the mid wicket boundary to help put the brakes on the Breakers. Kenneth Dember shifted the game totally in favour of the Rangers when he had Atticus Browne bowled from a quick arm ball that went straight through the gate left by the batsman. Breakers finished the powerplay on 30/3.
Ryan John, during the 5th over, turned the game as he drove Kesrick Williams over long on for six. John drove hard the next delivery but a misfield on the long on boundary gifted an easy boundary. Salt was rubbed into the wound as the next delivery was a full toss that was effortlessly dispatched over long on for six. Razine Browne changed the game totally as he had Alleyne caught on the long off boundary. The next delivery, Browne trapped John lbw with a length ball that nipped back in to have him plumb lbw. Rangers were now totally in control with the score being 53/5 after 6 overs.
Breakers didn’t give up as Barnum dumped a full toss over mid wicket bowled by Keron Cottoy. Beniton Stapleton joined the action and swung Cottoy over long on then flat bat a shortish delivery outside off stump that remarkably landed on the roof over long off. The over pushed Breakers to 74/5 after 7 overs. The game was swinging dramatically as Razine Browne, while fielding a return shot off his own bowling, got a finger on the ball that deflected onto the stump to run out the dangerous Beniton Stapleton. It then swung back in favour of the Breakers as Razine Browne bowled a full toss, which was called a no ball and was dispatched over mid wicket for a maximum. The free hit was a shortish delivery that was pulled over the mid wicket boundary – all hit by Ricavo Williams who continued his six hitting spree from the previous game.
Ricavo Williams, missing the start of the tournament due to injury, had to retire hurt after 8.5 overs as he aggravated the injury he was nursing. His cameo innings of 17 from 6 deliveries, contained 1 four and 2 sixes. Breakers finished the innings on 103/9 from their 10 overs. Winston Samuel took a hat trick off the last three deliveries of the innings to finish with figures of 3 for 4 runs from his only over. Kenneth Dember and Razine Browne took 2 for 17 and 2 for 20 respectively.
Rangers came out firing on all cylinders as Salvan Browne hit through the offside for four. He then hit down the ground twice for consecutive sixes to push Rangers to 17/0 after the first over. Rangers were soaring like an Eagle as Salvan Browne pulled Atticus Browne for four during the 2nd over. Wayne Harper wanted some of the action and drove a massive six over long off then square drove over the top through the off side for another boundary to push Rangers to 33/0 after 2 overs.
Ryan John bowling the 3rd over, ran out Salvan Browne as Rangers tried to steal a none existent single. Wayne Harper’s fine form continued as he pulled John for four to ensure Rangers kept the run rate up – Rangers 39/1 after 3 overs. Jomel Warrican was brought on for the final over of the powerplay and he delivered for Breakers, bowling Mickel Joseph with an arm ball. Keron Cottoy was served a short wide delivery and he punished it, swinging it over long off for six. Rangers finished the powerplay at 47/2.
Alleyne removed Wayne Harper during the 5th over, trying to drag a wide delivery to the leg side and only managing to inside edge it onto his stumps. Alleyne completed a fine over only conceding 4 runs. Beniton Stapleton delivered the 6th over and was slapped for a brutal six over mid wicket by Cottoy. Stapleton pitched up a Cottoy obliged and was dropped at long off by captain Johnson. Rangers was dealt a solid blow as Cottoy tried to take Stapleton for another maximum but skied one in the air for Alleyne at long on to run in and take a good catch to reduce Rangers to 63/4 after 6 overs.
Kadeem Alleyne had a good day with the ball, taking 1 wicket for 10 runs in his two overs. Rangers needed 35 runs from 18 deliveries. Kenneth Dember brought them closer to their target when he hit Jomel Warrican for two consecutive fours. Warrican showed his experience as he had Dember bowled the very next delivery. Alex Samuel was run out in a big mix up, swinging the game back in favour of the Breakers, with Rangers reaching 79/6 after 8 overs.
Ryan John was excellent in the penultimate over, realising he is bowling to the lower order and delivered shorter deliveries, which proved quite effective. With 18 runs required from the last over, Rangers lost a wicket and scored 3 runs in the first three deliveries. Tijorn Pope, after swinging and missing in his earlier deliveries, swung two sixes through the leg side and brought the equation to 3 runs for victory from 1 delivery. Delorn Johnson executed the last delivery well which was drilled to long off. The fielder returned the throw to the keeper and the keeper missed it and they completed two runs for the tie. The fielder behind the keeper misfielded as well and Rangers went back to complete the 3rd and pulled off a remarkably, unbelievably victory to book their spot in the finals, their first time ever.
Salt Pond Breakers 103/9 (10 overs)
Botanical Gardens Rangers 104/7 (10 overs)