La Soufriere Hikers vs Fort Charlotte Strikers Match Report – 19th Match VPL 5
Strikers won the toss and chose to bowl.
Alston Bobb, with his left arm finger spin took the new ball and bowled tidy line and length to give Strikers a good start. Kevin Abraham bowled the first team maiden of the tournament as Hikers were under pressure at 5/0 after 2 overs. The first boundary came during the 3rd over, as Carter swung Bobb over mid wicket for a maximum. Bobb removed Maloney trying to pull a good length delivery but could only place it in the hands of Donwell Hector at backward square. Dillon Douglas drove Bobb down the ground to pick up a boundary off his second delivery. Jonathan Carter forced Abraham over the off side to pick up consecutive boundaries but Abraham slowed up a full off spinner and yorked Carter to bowl him. Hikers finished the powerplay on 28/2.
Jerome Jones, joint leading wicket taker was dispatched to the mid wicket boundary by Douglas. Wicket Keeper Browne put down Douglas off the next delivery then Douglas played a dilscoop for six. Jones transgressed and bowled a no ball and Douglas smacked the free hit down the ground for four. Douglas was not finished as he played another scoop shot over fine leg for four to push Hikers to 49/2 after 5 overs.
Hikers were on the go as Walters was able to pick up consecutive fours off Winston Samuel, who bowled the 6th over. Dillon Douglas gave Brathwaite some of his own treatment, hitting a humungous six over mid wicket. Douglas played another scoop and picked up another boundary. Gidron Pope, bravely brought on himself for the 8th over and although the wicket cost 13 runs, it worked as Dillon Douglas inside edged a big drive onto his stumps.
Othneil Lewis pulled Jerome Jones for six in the penultimate over but Strikers would been proud of their finish, restricting Hikers to 105/6. Dillon Douglas top scored with 43 from 17 deliveries, hitting 5 fours and 3 sixes. Carlos Brathwaite took 2/19 from his 2 overs.
Gidron Pope pulled the first delivery of the chase for six, a short delivery from left arm spinner Larry Edward. Salvan Browne drove a flighted delivery from Edward for six but was then caught at short third man off the leading edge. Hiram Shallow was run out during the 2nd over, the umpteenth time of his career. Strikers finished the powerplay on 36/2, the match evenly poised.
Rayan Williams was hit for six by Donwell Hector but rebounded to bowl him with a perfect yorker after couple dot balls. Hikers were back in the match as Brathwaite fell for a golden duck, steering a short delivery into the hands of short third man of Williams’ bowling.
Strikers required 60 runs from 30 deliveries and was slightly in favour of Hikers. Strikers only got 21 runs total from overs six and seven and required 39 runs from 18 deliveries. O-Jay Matthews removed Pope in the 8th over and was struck for consecutive boundaries by Jones. Rayan Williams bowled the penultimate over and killed all hopes for Strikers as he removed Sealroy Williams and only conceded 2 runs. Hikers won by 20 runs and Rayan Williams was the difference, taking 3/11 from his 2 overs. Dillon Douglas took 2/15 at the tail end of the innings.
La Soufriere Hikers 105/6 (10 overs)
Fort Charlotte Strikers 85/8 (10 overs)