Queen’s Park II stun Comets to reach T20 final

PACER Sherwin Peters conceded five runs off the final over as Queen’s Park II progressed to tomorrow’s final of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) T20 Festival, by virtue of a six-run win over Alescon Comets in yesterday’s semi-final game.

Queen’s Park I were opposing Central Sports, at press time last evening, in the second of back-to-back semis at the Brian Lara Academy, Tarouba.

Sent in to bat, Queen’s Park II, who got into the semis after the TTCB National League Disciplinary Committee upheld an appeal over Powergen’s late registration of Grenadian pace bowler Josh Thomas in their quarter-final, posted a useful score of 166 runs for four wickets, despite a hat-trick from left-arm spinner Derone Davis.

Captain Jonathan Augustus (62) and Joshua Da Silva (54) were the top-scorers for Parkites II.

Steven Katwaroo made 42, while openers Shemroy Barrington and Imran Khan each scored 41, but Comets were only able to muster 160/4 in reply. Part-time off-spinner Marlon Barclay took three wickets for 24 runs for Parkites II.

Barrington struck the first ball of the innings through the covers for four, while Khan matched him stride for stride, as they reached 80, before Barrington (31 balls, five fours and a six) was taken by Nicholas Alexis at short third man off Barclay’s first over.

In his next over, Barclay removed Khan (33 balls, five fours), who slashed a ball to Alexis at short third man and, in his last over, Barclay got rid of Roshon Primus (18) in similar circumstances.

Katwaroo and captain Vikash Mohan kept Comets within striking distance. However, with 12 runs required to win off the final over, Peters conceded five runs off his first five balls.

Comets needed a six off the last ball to force a Super Over, but Katwaroo skied the last ball to Kirstan Kallicharan at deep midwicket. Mohan was unbeaten on 15 while Peters ended with 1/35.

In a post-game interview, Augustus said, “It’s a massive effort from the team. (Yesterday) showed that we can compete with the best teams in the country.”

About the successful appeal, Augustus said, “We got an opportunity. The guys were up for it. We played very well with bat and ball.”

Asked about the last over from Peters, the Parkites II skipper noted, “It’s a tense situation (but) we believe in each other. The bowler has to execute. If he executes well, we’ll back him to win the game and he did that.”