Botanical Gardens Rangers vs La Soufriere Hikers Match Report – 2nd Match VPL 5
Rangers won the toss and chose to bowl.
Roshon Primus was charged with bowling the first over to Jonathan Carter. Carter creamed 3 successive boundaries through covers to give Hikers an impressive start. Hikers, missing key players, were still having their way in the powerplay as Kirton Lavia drove for a big six then cut for four to push Hikers to 33/0 after 3 overs. Atticus Browne put a stop to Hikers momentum as Lavia was run out then Jonathan Carter was bowled advancing down the track – the over conceding two runs and accounting for two key wickets to restrict Hikers to 35/2 at the end of the powerplay.
The spin of Ravendra Persaud and Atticus Browne had Hikers in a web. Urnel Thomas took a boundary off Browne then Walters hit a sweet sounding six over mid wicket before he was caught by Wicket Keeper Harper to leave Hikers reeling at 49/3 after 5.4 overs when the rain intervened. Reshawn Lewis started fine after the break, hitting his first delivery for four. Keron Cottoy dismissed Urnel Thomas during the 7th over to restrict Hikers to 63/4.
Reshawn Lewis was savage on part timer Jerron John during the 8th over, smashing 3 consecutive sixes to take Hikers to 90/4 after 8 overs – the over conceding 27 runs. Roshon Primus pegged things back in the penultimate, conceding only 3 runs. Kesrick Williams bowled the last over and Reshawn Lewis managed to take two boundaries to push Hikers to 104/6. Lewis top scored with 44 not out from 16 deliveries, hitting 4 fours and 3 sixes. Atticus Browne was the pick of the bowlers with 2/19 from his two overs.
Andre Fletcher started the chase in superb fashion, creaming 3 boundaries through the offside off new ball bowler Rayan Williams. Larry Edward was miserly during the 2nd over of the chase, giving nothing away and trying to switch the momentum of the match – Rangers 18/0. Jonathan Carter was charged with bowling the 3rd over and Rangers capitalised by taking 2 more boundaries, both off the bat of Wayne Harper to push Rangers to 29/0 after 3 overs.
Andre Hunte broke the partnership, having Wayne Harper caught at short third man – the over was brilliant as it also only conceded two runs. Rain came at the end of the 5th over, with Hikers on 44/1 and needing another 59 runs from 30 deliveries.
Rain interrupted play after the 5th over, changing the equation to 83 runs to win from 8 overs. The first ball after the resumption, Larry Edwards had Andre Fletcher dismissed but Keron Cottoy and Roshon Primus took a maximum off the over to push Rangers to 58/3 – 25 to win from 12 deliveries. Rayan Williams bowled the penultimate over and Roshon Primus edged a four then was dismissed off a top edged pull shot. Ravendra Persaud smoked a six over mid wicket to push the score to 72/3 to leave 11 runs from the last over.
The rain interrupted yet again and the match was called off, with the par score being 70. Andre Fletcher top scored with 22 from 14 deliveries.
La Soufriere Hikers 104/6 (10 overs)
Botanical Gardens Rangers 72/3 (7 overs) (Won by 7 wicket on D/L method)