By Dean “The Sportsman” Greenaway
Grenada batsman Andel Walcott had 48 not out, after ripping through Cavaliers line up taking 3 for 18
Cavaliers’ run of semifinals in every format of BVI Cricket Association play ended on Sunday in Greenland, when Grenada flogged them by seven wickets, which eliminated them from reaching the Peter Haycraft Ten10 Cup semifinal.
Captain and opener Gavin Hitnarine responded with an explosive 45 after ducks in his first two games when Cavaliers were sent to bat, but he had no support as the other nine batsmen combined to produce a mere 50 runs, and they were out at 104 in 9.1 overs.
Grenada bowler Rudoph Davis grabbed 3 wickets for his 18 runs, by taking out Avishkar Sewkerran for six and Dhanpaul Chrisnanand for a duck. Trevis Dookhran struggled for 10 during a 36 run third wicket partnership with Hitnarine. Davis fellow bowlers Fabian Bailey and Kevin Shilchand snatched 2 for 15 respectively and Derrol Redhead bagged 2 for 26.
Grenada’s fast start was interrupted on 43 runs by Sewkarran, who had an early breakthrough, taking three wickets off four balls, the biggest being Redhead who had 27, while the other two went for ducks.
Then Davis came in and belted Cavaliers bowlers for six sixes—the last off the 14th ball he faced—for 48 not out, taking them to 110 in 7.5 overs, to even their record at 1-1. Sewkarran finished with 3 for 18.
Hitnarine said Grenada bowled well, took early wickets and pegged them back. “Throughout the innings, they bowled a good line and length and they restricted us to 104,” he said. “Our bowling wasn’t up to standard today. Defending a small total, we were supposed to bowl much better but we didn’t. This is a very unusual start. We just have to keep working harder to get better results—not only in the next match—but in the future.”
Cavaliers fell to 0-3 marking the first time that they’ve had such a start in any form of BVICA play.
“It was an important victory because we lost the first game—although we didn’t play too badly—the chances went to the other team and they won, but this game was good,”
Grenada Captain Andel Walcott who had 20 told Island Sun Sports. “We had a good start in bowling and batting and we came out successful. We sent them to bat because when we chase, we always come out victorious and everything worked out as planned.”
In the other game, Royal Knights used a balanced attack to counter a stroke-filled 75 from defending champs RTW Falcons’ Gary Prince and a supporting 40 from Damron Prince after opener Joel Williams went for a duck, for a seven wickets victory.
RTW Falcons who had a 48-run partnership for the second wicket from the Prince boys and then Gary Prince had another one of 74 with Curtly Peters for the third wicket, reached 132 for 3 in 10 overs.
Royal Knights began their chase with a 65-run opening partnership between Keon DeJesus and Kazim Haywood, before DeJesus went for 47 and Haywood later became one of Gary Prince’s two catches for 17. Fourth man Yohann Lezama contributed 41 not out and Ameri Hinds was caught for 16 as they made 135 for 3 in 9.3 overs and improved to 2-0 while the RTW Falcons fell to 1-2. RTW Falcons Morry Ollivierre grabbed 2 wickets for 23 runs.
Royal Knights will face Grenada at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, followed by Cavaliers and the Vikings at 2:30 p.m.
