Queen’s Park into NGC T20 semis
By JOEL BAILEY Wednesday, April 13 2016
QUEEN’S PARK became the first team to advance to the semi-final round of the National Gas Company (NGC)-sponsored T20 Festival, after a comfortable six-wicket win over Preysal Sports in the first match of a quarter-final double- header yesterday.
At the National Cricket Centre in Couva, Preysal were bowled out for 101 in 19.3 overs and Queen’s Park replied with 106 runs for four wickets, in 15.4 overs.
Preysal, who elected to bat after winning the toss, were immediately in trouble when Akeal Hosein removed Crystian Thurton for three before Saiba Batoosingh and Narin Bhagwandeen featured in a second-wicket stand of 47 in six overs.
But Batoosingh (38 off 24 balls with eight fours) was bowled by Kevon Cooper while David Williams followed for nought, bowled by Yannic Cariah, and Danny Baboolal (one), caught in the deep by Nicholas Pooran off Javon Searles.
The middle and lower order offered little to no resistance, with Bhagwandeen bowled by one from Man-of-the-Match Khary Pierre for 25 (23 balls, three fours), Raj Nanan (one) caught behind by Anthony Balgobin cutting at pacer Daron Cruickshank and Rachad Forde (11) pulling one from Cruickshank to Darren Bravo at deep mid-wicket.
Shawn Vialva (duck) failed to beat Tion Webster’s throw to Balgobin from the gully, Toriq Khan (five) lost his balance pushing out to leftarm spinner Pierre and was stumped, and Kyle Phillip (one) was run out at the bowler’s end, following Bravo’s strong throw to Hosein.
Kieron Alexander was unbeaten on 11 while Pierre got 2/7 and Cruickshank 2/13.
Queen’s Park openers Justin Guillen and Darren Bravo had little trouble against the moderate Preysal bowling attack, with Bravo signalling his intent with a straight six, which landed on the roof of the pavilion, off Alexander’s left-arm spin. In his first over, off-spinner Vialva removed Guillen, bowled for 32 (27 balls, three fours and a six) – ending an opening stand of 68 in 9.1 overs; and fellow lefthander Bravo, caught at long-on by Batoosingh for 40 (33 balls, four fours and two sixes).
Cruickshank (four) flicked one from off-spinner Raj Nanan to Vialva at midwicket and, with the target in sight, Hosein (13) pulled a rank longhop from Alexander to Nanan in the deep.
However, Tion Webster (10) ended proceedings with a straight six off Vialva, while Pooran was at the other end on one.
Vialva was the leading wicket-taker for Preysal with 2/31.
In the last four, Queen’s Park will face the winners of last night’s other quarter- final game between Queen’s Park II and Central Sports.
Today, in the other set of quarter-final matches, PowerGen will square off against Caldrac Club from 3 pm and First Citizens Clarke Road will oppose Alescon Comets four hours later.
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