By Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway
Royal Knights bowler Vincent Farley, celebrates taking Grenada’s Derrol Redhead’s wicket for 40 runs
Unbeaten Royal Knights, (6-0) and the (5-1) Vikings, the top two teams in the BVI Cricket Association Peter Haycraft T10 League, will vie for the Cup on December 7, after knocking off Grenada by six wickets and defending champions RTW Falcons by 39 runs respectively, during Sunday’s semi finals matches in Greenland. This weekend’s games have been rescheduled because of the Anegada Lobster Fest.
Royal Knights used a balanced attack for a six wickets victory over Grenada for their second successive trip to the final. Derrol Redhead, who was dropped early by Royal Knights captain Julian St. Clair, teamed with his captain Andell Walcott for a 49-run opening partnership before Redhead was caught by Wicketkeeper Richard Francis for 40. Rodney Marryshow also had 40 not out after Walcott went leg before wicket as Grenada reached 133 for 4 in 10.0 overs.
Grenada bowlers made an early breakthrough taking out Royal Knights openers Yohann Lezama and Kazim Haywood for four and eight runs respectively, during a 2 for 27 start. Keon DeJesus and Ameri Hinds repaired the innings with a 29-run partnership, before DeJesus was caught for 34. Hinds had a second 29-run partnership with Shelan Isidore, before he went leg before wicket for 22, off a Redhead delivery. Isidore’s 41 not out and a contributing 15 not out from Kimson Daizell, brought them to victory at 134 for 4 in 8.1 overs.
“This was a well fought game and really showed the strength of our team and keeping our composure to get the job done. This was a really difficult game,” Royal Knights captain Julian St. Clair said. “They started off very well, putting up a good partnership for the opening stand and our bowlers did well to restrict them to 40 runs in the last five over or so, so that was a big achievement.”
Walcott said that Grenada started well, then the run rate started slowing down. “At the pace we were going, we were looking at about 170, 180,” he said. Trying to defend the 134, the bowling wasn’t good at all and we lost the game. Our bowling is not the best. Defending runs is very difficult for us.”
In the first semifinal, after being dropped early, opening bat and wicket keeper Julian Banett laced 13 of the 25 balls he faced for four or more runs, including nine sixes before he was run out for 79. Captain Deco Khemraj, who was run out for a supporting 69 after facing 19 balls—nine of them sixes—helped them lay the foundation for 194 for 3 in 10.0 overs, during a 69 run second wicket stand with Banett. Rhakumar Seepersaud had a contributing 34 during an opening 99-run stand with Banett, before he was bowled out.
RTW Falcons Austin McDowall led the fightback with a defiant 95 including 11 drives beyond the boundary, but only Roy Caines’ 22 not out provided any support as they reached 154 for 3 in their chase.
“It was a good performance, we did amazing with the bat,” Khemraj told Island Sun Sports. “By losing the toss and batting first, we put a massive 194 on the board as a target. Our bowlers went out there, fighting, defending it, putting the ball where we needed to put it and it was an amazing game, a lovely day of cricket.”
Khemraj said that it was “tough luck” for the RTW Falcons, who put up a real fight with McDowall, whom he described as one of the “amazing batsmen” on Tortola. “Once he was there, the game was still on at all points—every single ball,” he pointed out. “I must say well done to McDowall for putting up a good fight. RTW Falcons, well done guys.”
RTW Falcons captain Orlando “Facebook” Ollivierre, said that he couldn’t explain what happened. “We went out with a game plan but never bowled as well as we wanted to. They capitalized on the dot balls then hit boundaries,” he said. “I believe we could have won the game. If they made 194, I believe we could have made 195 because of the ground we’re playing on, but at the end of the day, they came out victorious.”
