La Soufriere Hikers vs Grenadines Divers Match Report – 9th Match VPL 5
Divers won the toss and chose to bowl.
Asif Hooper took the new ball, bowling his left arm spin. Carter cut over point the 2nd delivery then drove dead straight the very next delivery for a maximum. Hikers as always, imposed themselves on the opposition, as Maloney pulled off spinner Richards for six. He also punched through the off side then slog swept to pick up boundaries. Carter continued his on slaught against Hooper as he picked up two more boundaries, before Maloney advanced down the track and smashed a huge six on the wide long on roof. Hikers picked up two more boundaries in the 4th over to finish the powerplay on 55/0.
Carter cut Dean Browne for four. Dean Browne, the tournament leading wicket taker out foxed Maloney but Hooper couldn’t get around in time to complete the catch. Salt was rubbed into the wounds, as Maloney smacked a humungous six over the mid wicket boundary to rocket Hikers to 72/0 after 5 overs. Romario Bibby’s over, the 7th of the innings, was the first of the innings not to concede a boundary. Hikers were well poised for a strong finish as they raced to 95/0 after 7 overs. Desron Maloney brought up his half century off 21 deliveries.
Wesrick Strough, who delivered the 8th over, ran out Carter with some football skills. He then removed Maloney pulling to deep mid wicket. The over was the best of the innings, only conceding 5 runs. Romario Bibby 2 over spell went for 16 runs, and didn’t concede a boundary, quite magnificent in the context of the game. Hikers finished their innings disappointingly, getting to 117/2 only scoring 31 runs in the final 4 overs. Maloney top scored with 51 from 24 deliveries, hitting 5 fours and 4 sixes.
In the chase, Walton got things going as he pushed off spinner Lewis through the off side to collect four off the first delivery of the innings. Walton also drove sweetly over long off to give Divers a good start. Walton was living a charmed life as he was put down in the first over also during the 2nd over. Rodrigo Thomas joined the act and drove powerfully over long off for four, the athletic Jeheil Walters getting a finger tip to it along the way. Walton drove over wide long off and cut Lewis for boundaries during the 3rd over. Walton picked up two more boundaries during the 4th over bowled by left arm spinner Larry Edward. Divers finished the powerplay on 36/0, requiring a further 83 from 36 deliveries.
Divers had a huge 6th over, taking 22 runs from it as Walton pulled for six and Rodrigo Thomas hit a massive six straight down the ground, almost hitting the roof of the administrative building. He also pulled another six then was dismissed off the next delivery. Divers were 63/1 after 6 overs and required 56 from 24 deliveries.
Chadwick Walton was at his brutal best in the 8th over, hitting two sixes and a four, all between long on and mid wicket. One six in particular was extremely huge. The equation was down to 28 from 12 deliveries. Rayan Williams bowled the penultimate over and did a fantastic job as only 9 runs came from the over.
Jonathan Carter bowled the final over and it was extremely nail biting as Walton smoked the first delivery for six. Walton also picked up a boundary and they needed 4 runs from the final delivery. Carter bowled it wide in the block hole and Divers could only manage a single and Hikers won by 2 runs.
La Soufriere Hikers 118/2 (10 overs)
Grenadines Divers 116/1 (10 overs)