Strikers win to set up showdown with Blazers

A&A Strikers lived to fight another day as they defeated Youth & Experience by seven wickets in the eliminator game, to earn another chance of reaching the finals of the A&A Auto Parts/Fushionz Boutique Champion of Champions Twenty20 tape ball tournament.

Playing at Police Sports Club on Saturday night, Strikers easily chased down 140 in the 15th over, to book a clash with Blazers in a win-or-go-home matchup.

Strikers won the toss and were off to a blazing start thanks to medium pacer Sajid Hafeji who removed the first three batters in the Y&C lineup, bowling both Justin Parris (17) and Joshua Haynes (10) before having the tournament’s leading run-scorer with 245 runs, Gadson Bowens, dismissed for one with the score 43 for three in the fifth over.

Captain Zion Brathwaite, who struck 37 off 26 balls,  and Akeem Springer (20) then came together in a 66-run partnership before they were both dismissed four balls apart.

No other batter reached double digits as the Y&C squad fell from 109 for three to 139 all out in 18 overs.

Hafeji, Davien Branker and Steffaun Griffith picked up three wickets each for Strikers.

Opening bowler Riviera Cottle struck with the second ball of the innings when he removed Zidane Harewood without scoring to give Y&C hope of defending theri total but that was short lived as Kemar Harte (54) and Wasim Wankad (36) formed a 113-run stand for the second wicket to erase any doubt over the outcome.

Harte struck seven fours and three sixes and brought up his half century off 28 balls before he was dismissed the very next ball, bowled by Joshua Haynes while Wankad faced 27 balls before perishing via the run out route at115 for three.

Ryshon Williams (10 not out) and Dwayne Smith (13 not out) struck consecutive sixes to finish the game as Strikers easily reached their total in 14.1 overs.

Strikers will now battle Blazers on Tuesday night at 7:30 pm with the winner advancing to the finals against defending champions Belair Stars scheduled for February 22.

The winner of the tournament will take home a first placed purse of $15 000.

(ZM)