Battle for two quarter-final spots in BCA T20 Cup   

Five teams are now anxiously battling for the last two quarter-final places in the BCA Elite/Division 1 Twenty20 Cup Championship.

One position is open in both Zone ‘A’ and Zone ‘B’ going into the ninth and final round of the preliminaries tomorrow.

The teams which have advanced to the last eight are (with Points and Net Run Rate): Zone A – Wildey 28 (NRR: 2.069), BWU Gladiola 26 (2.149) and defending champions Carlton 24 (1.835); Zone B – Wanderers 26 (1.167), Sagicor Life UWI ‘A’ 22 (2.751) and Bayview Hospital YMPC 22 (2.244).

Of the five contenders, three are in Zone ‘A’ – Barbados Youth ‘A’, Empire and Barbados Defence Force Sports Programme (BDFSP). Co-incidentally, they are all on 18 points with NRR the key in determining the higher placed if they end on the same number of points.

Their NRR: Barbados Youth ‘A’ (0.362), Empire (0.039) and BDFSP (-0.334).

Barbados Youth ‘A’ will oppose Gladiola at Kensington Oval, Empire clash with ESA Field Pickwick at Bank Hall and BDFSP meet IGS Insurance Brokers Yorkshire at Friendship.

Yorkshire, on 14 points, can end with 18 points but their NRR (-0.615) would have to improve to such a large extent if the other contenders were to lose that with all due respect, they are basically playing for pride.    

In Zone ‘B’, it is a straight fight between Spartan, on 20 points (NRR 0.053) and IDL Walkers Sand Quarry Isolation Cavaliers on 18 (-0.401) at KMV Oval, Lakes in St. Andrew.

But while there is keen interest surrounding the teams seeking the last two qualifying places, the order in which the others in the last eight finish is also vital.

Tomorrow’s matches are:

Zone A – Carlton v Wildey at Desmond Haynes Oval; Empire v Pickwick at Bank Hall; Barbados Youth ‘A’ v Gladiola at Kensington Oval; Yorkshire v BDFSP at Friendship; Barbados Youth ‘B’ v Foundation at Harrison College ‘A’, Crumpton Street.

Zone B – Isolation Cavaliers v Spartan at KMV Oval; Lords v Wanderers at Lowlands; YMPC v Police at Beckles Road; UWI ‘A’ v Maple at 3Ws Oval; St. Catherine v UWI ‘B’ v Bayfield.

The line-up for the quarter-finals: Zone A Winner v Zone B Fourth; Zone B Second v Zone A Third; Zone B Winner v Zone A Fourth; Zone A Second v Zone B Third.

Following a rain-hit eighth round last Saturday with play in only four of the ten matches, Empire recorded the most telling win – by eight runs – over Carlton at Bank Hall.

    BDFSP beat Barbados Youth ‘B’ by four wickets at Paragon, Barbados Youth ‘A’ lost by four wickets to Yorkshire at Kensington Oval and Isolation Cavaliers were defeated by 34 runs by UWI ‘B’ at 3Ws Oval.

Empire must truly thank their bowlers and fielders for a fighting spirit in bringing off such a crucial victory.

Requiring 70 for victory in 16 overs, Carlton were under early pressure on 16 for five by the ninth over.

Left-hander Tarik Shorey then played intelligently in leading a recovery before the last four wickets fell for five runs in seven balls, and they were bowled out for 61 in 15.4 overs.

Ten runs were needed with three wickets intact off the last over from left-arm spinner Jomel Warrican, a Barbados Pride and West Indies Test player.

Operating from the northern end, off the first ball Warrican lured Shorey into a drive, which was lofted to deep cover for Jaden Edmund to take a well-judged catch.

Shorey made 27 off 22 balls including four threes and two fours. He was the only Carlton batsman to reach double-figures.

Keon Harding was caught and bowled for two off the next ball.

Dane Currency managed a single and then wicket-keeper Alex Fergusson, desperate for a boundary, was caught at long-on by Shavon Brooks without scoring.

Warrican took three for seven off 2.4 overs in easily his best performance for the season. He also held three catches.

Camarie Boyce, another left-arm spinner, who made his first-class debut for Barbados Pride this year, was also outstanding with the ball, picking up three for eight off four overs.

The fighting nature of Empire’s win was also underlined by the fact that three maiden overs were sent down – one each by Boyce, medium-pacer Kevin Stoute and off-spinner Shakkae Marshall.

After losing the toss, Empire were bowled out for 69 in 14.4 overs.

Kofie Hurdle topscored with 21 off 25 balls. Captain and opener Justin Greaves made 19 off 20 deliveries following a second wicket partnership of 46 in 7.1 overs.

Empire sensationally lost their last nine wickets for 22 runs in seven overs.

Matthew Jones, the Carlton captain and left-arm spinner, took two for three off 2.4 overs and medium-pacer Kyle Mayers, two for 20 off four overs.

Opener Athelbert Brathwaite struck his second consecutive half-century to lead Yorkshire to victory with eight balls to spare.

In a target of 115 in 20 overs, Brathwaite scored 80 not out off 59 balls with seven fours and two sixes. It followed an unbeaten 68 off Wildey at SJPI.

At the halfway stage, Yorkshire were 49 for two and off the first ball of the 11th over, Armani Best fell for ten.

But Brathwaite continued to score freely as he dominated a fourth wicket stand of 36 in 4.4 overs with Jamal Smith, whose contribution was five off 12 balls.

Barbados Youth ‘A’ also managed to prise out Adrian Connell (nought) and captain Akeem Nero (one) in the 16th and 17th overs to leave the score 91 for six.

Brathwaite, however, ensured there were no more jitters along with Tariq Hoyte (three not out).

Leg-spinner Kevin Wickham took two for 33 off 3.2 overs.

Having won the toss, Barbados Youth ‘A’ would have been disappointed with a total of 114 for seven after reaching 69 for three in the 11th over.

Malik Young hit the topscore of 30 off 36 balls at No. 4.

Wicket-keeper Shaqkere Parris, who has been in good form with the bat, made 24 off 18 balls including two fours and two sixes after his captain and opening partner Rivaldo Clarke fell without scoring off the second ball of the match.

Parris and Wickham, with 22 off 27 balls, put on 42 in 5.2 overs for the second wicket.

There were also contributions of 11 each from Achilles Browne but Browne took 20 balls, while Grant faced just seven deliveries and was unbeaten.

Demar Thorne took two for 17 off three overs and Nero, two for 28 off four overs.

Inspired by a good all-round performance from Shakeem Blades, BDFSP triumphed with four balls remaining as they chased 80 in 15 overs.

It was the seventh defeat for Barbados Youth ‘B’.

Blades scored an unbeaten 20 off 11 balls including two fours and one six. Jadeja Edwards assisted by scoring 10 not out off seven balls.

Rico Hurley also played his part with 17 off 11 deliveries, striking two sixes.

Giovonte Depeiza grabbed four for 17 including the wickets of openers Hans Campbell and Javon Grosvenor for ‘ducks’.

After losing the toss, Barbados Youth ‘B’ scored 79 for seven.

Johann Layne lashed 20 off only five balls with three sixes at No. 8.

Captain and opener Rashawn Worell made 15 off 31 balls.

Blades took two for 10 and skipper Rico Wiggins, two for 24.     

Isolation Cavaliers struggled with the bat.

Needing 121 to win in 20 overs, they were restricted to 86 for eight.

All-rounder Khalil Herbert topscored with 17 off 38 balls at No. 5. He was fifth out with the score 45 in the 14th over.

Opener Michael Rawlins made 14 off 29 deliveries.

Barbados Pride fast bowler Chemar Holder took three for 23 and Amari Goodridge, two for 18.

UWI ‘B’ scored 120 for eight after they were sent in.

Emmanuel Stewart made 23 off 29 balls at No. 3 and Antonio Morris, 20 off only nine balls at No. 7.

Herbert took three for 15 and Wayne Lee, two for 24.

Keith Holder is a veteran, award-winning freelance sports journalist, who has been covering local, regional and International cricket since 1980 as a writer and commentator. He has compiled statistics on the Barbados Cricket Association (BCA) Division 1 (now Elite) Championship for over three-and-a-half decades and is responsible for editing the BCA website (www.bcacricket.org). Email: Keithfholder@gmail.com