An unbreakable partnership of 113 runs from 42 balls from Akeal Hosein (80 not out) and Darren Bravo (79 not out) partnered with another spectacular Yannic Cariah hat-trick (3/10) guided Queen’s Park Cricket Club (QPCC) to an emphatic 89-run victory over PowerGen and the Premiership I T20 title, at the National Cricket Centre in Couva on Friday.
QPCC were unstoppable, both with the bat and ball, as they put on a massive total of 207/3 and easily defended their total by dismissing PowerGen for a paltry 118 with one over to spare.
Sent in to bat, the Parkites lost opener Tion Webster (duck) in the second ball of the innings, courtesy spinner Kavesh Kantasingh.
Bravo entered the middle and teamed up with Isaiah Rajah (24) to build an 80-run partnership before the latter was caught by Uthman Muhammad off Jason Mohammed’s bowling.
Incoming batsman Terrence Hinds scored just nine before he fell to pacer Shaaron Lewis.
Hosein, who has been in sensational T20 form for the West Indies, strutted out to ignite the Couva venue.
Bravo played the anchor role with seven fours and two sixes from his 70 balls faced.
However, Hosein showed no mercy to the PowerGen’s bowling attack and lashed bowlers to all corners of the central venue. He raced to an unbeaten 80 in just 24 balls, smashing ten sixes and two fours.
Hosein took particular liking to pacer Jarlanie Seales in the final over as he launched the lanky bowler for four consecutive sixes in his final four deliveries.
[caption id="attachment_954571" align="alignnone" width="683"] Queen's Park batsman Darren Bravo in action in the TTCB T20 Festival Premier I final on Friday. - Marvin Hamilton[/caption]
Kantasingh (1/12) was PowerGen’s best bowler but Seales was battered for a hefty 76 runs in his fours overs bowled.
In their turn at the crease, the Penal-based team had a shaky start as they lost openers Videsh Sookahi (nine) and Ewart Nicholson (four) with just 18 runs on the board.
A 33-run partnership from Akiel Cooper (22) and Seales (21) seemed to breathe life into their innings but the chase fell flat when the latter perished. Jason Mohammed (32) had PowerGen’s best effort with the bat.
Cariah's hat-trick made the result a formality He bowled out Cooper, before removing Steven Katwaroo caught by Hosein next ball and then trapping Muhammad (duck) leg-before. The remaining batsmen fell for just 23 runs.
Cariah topped the bowling for QPCC while Hosein got 2/21 and Bryan Charles 2/25. Hosein was deservedly adjudged man of the match.
In the Premier II T20 final earlier in the day at the same venue, Prisons defeated Merry Boys by 13 runs.
Batting first, Prisons got to 180/5 after their 20 overs, led by Vikash Rampersad (78 from 40) and Zackery Ragoonath (51 from 42).
In reply, Merry Boys were restricted to 167/8 with Kevon Charles (28) top scoring and Bryan Boodram (3/30), Andre Mohammed (2/30) and Jerve Cummings (2/43) doing the damage with the ball for
