Salt Pond Breakers vs Grenadines Divers Match Report – 17th Match VPL 5
Divers won the toss and chose to bat.
Divers started sedately, being 14/0 after 2 overs. Walton had driven Johnson down the ground for four then pulled for four over mid wicket, the main excitement at the start. Jomel Warrican, captaining in the absence of Ambris, brought himself on for the third over and was treated with disdain by Walton who cracked two sixes and two fours, all down the ground, regardless of where the ball was pitched. Kadeem Alleyne was ill disciplined during the 4th over, as he bowled three wide deliveries and two no balls. Walton stood tall and punched over point and collected six and pushed Divers to 56/0 after the powerplay.
Rodrigo Thomas, who was slow in the powerplay, swung Warrican over mid wicket for a maximum to keep Divers scoring rate up during the 5th over. Walton brought up his half century in the 6th over, off 25 deliveries – he finished the over in style hitting a length delivery over the long on boundary off the back foot and holding the pose.
Walton was in incredible touch as he drove Delorn Johnson over covers for six and Rodrigo Thomas was able to pull a short delivery behind square off the same over to set up Divers for a good finish – 93/0 after 7 overs. Jeremy Layne removed Walton during the 8th over and completed his spell of 2 overs for 17 runs to keep Breakers in the match.
Rasheed Fredericks, was expensive in the penultimate over, going for 19 runs and was probably a blunder bowling a spinner for the penultimate over. Ryan John, who bowled a good opening over, bowled the final over. He was inconsistent and gifted seven wides and one leg bye and Rodrigo Thomas drove for six and four down the ground to give Divers an excellent score of 140/1. Chadwick Walton top scored with 69 from 32 deliveries, hitting 6 fours and 5 sixes. Rodrigo Thomas remained not out on 42 from 22 deliveries, hitting 2 fours and 3 sixes.
Asif Hooper bowling the new ball, took probably the catch of the tournament as he stuck out his hand and held on to a stinger sent back by Kadeem Alleyne. There was more problem for Breakers as Nedd was dismissed off the bowling of Richie Richards during the 2nd over. In came Delorn Johnson, man in form, and he continued his hitting madness. He hit 4, 6, 4, 4, 6, 1 off the 3rd over, bowled by Hooper, hitting the ball ferociously from wherever it pitched. Richie Richards removed the big man, caught at mid off trying to launch over the top. Ricarvo Williams struck his first delivery for four but Richards bowled a slower conventional off spinner and castled the stumps of Williams to sink Breakers to 44/4 at the end of the powerplay.
Ryan John played an incredible shot of Dean Browne, advancing down the track and hitting a bouncer over mid wicket for six. John got too cheeky during the next delivery, going to far across his stump and Browne had his yorker on target and had his man gone lbw. Ryshon Williams was hit for six by Seon Sween by fell the next delivery, caught on the long off boundary by Bennitton Stapleton.
Breakers innings was falling like a pack of cards and they were all out for 70, Divers winning by 70 runs, the biggest win of this VPL edition. Delorn Johnson top scored with 28 from 9 deliveries, hitting 3 fours and 2 sixes. Richie Richards was the pick of the bowlers for the Divers, taking 3/18 from his 2 overs. Dean Browne (2/13) and Ryshon Williams (2/12) was also brilliant during the middle phases to kill any hopes the Breakers had. Wesrick Strough finished off the innings, taking two wickets in as many deliveries, to keep Divers hope alive in this tournament.
Grenadines Divers 140/1 (10 overs)
Salt Pond Breakers 70 all out (8.2 overs)