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GUYANA CHRONICLE Monday, October 8, 2018
South Africa Women draw series against West Indies (CMC) – SAARAH Smith and Masabata Klaas scrambled a near suicidal single off the penultimate ball of the match as South Africa stunned West Indies by three wickets to win the final Twenty20 International and steal a 2-2 draw in the five-match series here Saturday night. Chasing a difficult 156 for victory at the Brian Lara Stadium, the South Africans got 42 from opener Lizelle Lee; 31 from Chloe Tryon and 25 from Mignon du Preez, to enter the last over of the contest requiring three runs for the series-tying win. Marizanne Kapp (18) steered the first ball from speedster Shamilia Connell to short third man for a single before Smith (two not out) was held scoreless from the second ball. However, Smith then swung the third delivery to wide mid on to level the scores but more drama ensued when Kapp holed out to a straightish mid on, leaving South Africa still needing one run from the last two deliveries of the match. Smith, though, held her nerve and drilled the next delivery straight to mid-off,
Opener Hayley Matthews top-scored with 70.
setting off for a sharp single as the fielder missed a direct hit at the non-striker’s end that would have left her short of her ground. The result was a disappointing one for West Indies especially after they led the series 2-0, following wins in the opening two games. They looked to be safe bets to complete the series win when opener Hayley Matthews top-scored with 70 from 52 balls to get them up to 155 for five off their 20 overs, after they had been sent in.
She struck eight fours and three sixes and added 42 for the first wicket with the in-form Natasha McLean who made 23 off 33 deliveries. When the Windies lost three quick wickets for 15 runs in the space of 15 balls, Matthews combined with Shemaine Campbelle (28) in a crucial 53-run fourth wicket stand which rebuilt the innings. Campbelle hammered four fours in a 17-ball cameo before perishing in the 16th over but Matthews found an
ally in former captain Merissa Aguilleira (14 not out) to put on a further 36 for the fifth wicket. Matthews was out with three balls left in the innings, caught on the ropes at wide long on by Mignon du Preez off same Klass, aiming for her fourth six. In reply, Lee ensured a solid start to South Africa’s run chase, posting 37 for the first wicket with Laura Wolvaardt whose 23 came from 13 balls and included three fours and a six, and a further 30 with Robyn Searle (14) for the second wicket. Three wickets tumbled for 17 runs to leave South Africa wobbling on 84 for four in the 11th but they rallied through two key partnerships, anchored by Tryon. Firstly, she added 31 off 22 balls for the fifth wicket with du Preez and then put on another 37 off 27 balls for the sixth wicket with Kapp. Tryon faced 22 deliveries and struck one four and a couple of sixes – both coming at the start of the 17th over from off-spinner Anisa Mohammed which leaked 19 runs all told, and gave the Proteas the edge.
CCC crush USA in Regional Super50 two wickets apiece, to hurt the run chase. Seeking their first victory following defeat in the opener, Marooners stumbled early and their innings became essentially a tale of two partnerships. They lost Kyle Corbin for
CMC – HALF-centuries from West Indies Twenty20 captain Carlos Brathwaite and opener Amir Jangoo paved the way for Combined Campuses and Colleges’ comfortable 59-run victory over USA Cricket in the Regional Super50 here Saturday. Playing at the 3Ws Oval, Marooners rallied to a competitive 221 for nine off their 50 overs, thanks to 69 each from Brathwaite and Jangoo. In reply, USA were challenging at 81 for one in the 20th over but slumped to 162 all out in the 46th over, as they lost their last nine wickets for 81 runs. Opener Monank Patel carved out a breezy 53 but leg-spinner Keron Cottoy snared three for 40 while left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley (2-25) and off-spinner Jon-Russ Jagessar (2-29) finished with
three with the score on five in the second over before Jangoo and Kjorn Ottley posted 112 for the second wicket to revive the innings. The left-handed Jangoo struck six fours and a six off 77 balls while Ottley faced 82 deliveries and
CCC Marooners captain Carlos Brathwaite plays through the off side during his joint top score of 69 against USA Cricket at the 3Ws Oval on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)
counted two fours and a six. Once the stand was broken, however, Marooners lost four wickets for 14 runs in the space of 31 balls to decline quickly to 131 for five in the 32nd over. Skipper Brathwaite came to his side’s rescue, pummeling four fours and two sixes in an up tempo 61-ball innings, adding 62 with Yannick Ottley (21) for the sixth wicket. Ottley’s depature signalled another slide as Marooners lost their last four wickets for 28 runs. Jamaica-born left-arm speedster Elmore Hutchinson grabbed five for 42. Monank Patel and Steven Taylor, who scored 32, then put USA in a strong position, courtesy of a 68-run, second wicket stand after opener Jaskaran Malhotram (4) fell cheaply in the third over with the score on 13. While Patel faced 66 balls and struck six fours and a six, the left-handed Taylor counted three fours in a 60ball innings. However, they perished within 14 runs of each other – Jagessar sending back both – and Cottoy ripped out the middle order to leave USA in tatters.
Gayle smashes hundred as Scorpions crush pride
ON THE GO: Jamaican opener Chris Gayle drives during his 122 against Barbados Pride at Kensington Oval on Saturday. (Photo courtesy CWI Media)
CMC – SUPERSTAR Chris Gayle fittingly lowered the curtain on his domestic 50-overs career with an audacious hundred as Jamaica Scorpions brushed aside Barbados Pride by 33 runs in their Group B clash of the Regional Super50 here Saturday. Playing at Kensington Oval in his 356th List A match, the 39-year-old plundered 122 off 114 deliveries as Scorpions were dismissed for 226 in the 48th over. Andre McCarthy chipped in with 48 from 49 balls but Scorpions declined following his departure, losing their last eight wickets for 74 runs. Gayle held the innings together, hammering 10 fours and eight sixes to mark his 27th triple figure score in the shorter form of the game. In reply, Pride slipped from 93 for two to 193 all out in the 48th over, losing their last eight wickets for exactly 100 runs, to remain win-less in two matches following their rained-out opener against Leeward Islands Hurricanes last Thursday. Left-hander Jonathan Carter impressed with a responsible 77 while captain Shamarh Brooks got 26 but no other frontline batsman passed 15. Fast bowler Oshane Thomas picked up three for 53 while left-arm spinners Nikita Miller (2-23) and Christopher Lamont (2-45), along with pacer Gordon Bryan (2-28) all claimed two wickets each. While the victory was Jamaica’s second and left them top of the standings, the real story surrounded veteran Gayle who could not have asked for a better finale, which included two catches and a wicket from a 10-over spell costing 31 runs. Given a guard of honour by both teams at the start of the innings, Gayle put aside the sentimentality to pull Scorpions out of trouble after fast bowler Miguel Cummins accounted for opener Chadwick Walton (5) and Jermaine Blackwood (2) cheaply with just 21 on the board in the sixth over. He partnered with McCarthy in an entertaining third wicket stand of 131 off 110 deliveries which powered Scorpions to 152 for two in the 24th over. Pride were running out of answers when seamer Kevin Stoute (3-33) broke the stand, removing McCarthy after the batsman had struck seven fours. Gayle carried the innings, however, taking a special liking to Ashley Nurse (2-49) who he blasted for two sixes in the 18th over and another three consecutively in the 20th over. The West Indies star was eventually sixth out in the 35th over with wickets tumbling around him, falling to 20-year-old seamer Shamar Springer who ended with two for 35 from an excellent 10-over spell. Pride also suffered two setbacks at the start of their innings when Lamont removed both openers Shayne Moseley (10) and Leniko Boucher (9) with 32 on the board in the seventh over. Carter and Brooks then came together in a 61-run, third wicket partnership to consolidate the innings and deny Scorpions any further immediate breakthroughs. However, it was Gayle who eventually struck, gaining an lbw decision against Brooks in the 21st over and his dismissal saw Pride’s run chase unravel as wickets fell steadily. Carter, who faced 125 balls and struck four boundaries, was ninth out in the 48th over with Scorpions already all but secure.