Hillview silence pro-Naps crowd to clinch T20 crown

WEST Indies Under-19 opener Keagan Simmons silenced a pro-Naparima College crowd at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on Friday night, to lead Hillview College to the PowerGen Secondary Schools Intercol T20 title.

Hundreds of Naparima supporters clad in blue made the short trip to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy to support the south based school. However, the handful of Hillview supporters who travelled from East Trinidad were grinning broadly at the end of the match as Hillview College defended their title with a comfortable eight-wicket victory.

Hillview have completed the league double after winning the 50-over competition earlier this season. After the victory, Hillview coach Richard Kelly said, “I am obviously very ecstatic (to win the T20 title). The boys work hard, they did the job that was expected and thank God for that,” Kelly said.

Kelly said it felt great to win in Naparima’s backyard. “Lovely, it felt fantastic (to win in south). I love it when we look like the underdogs – it inspires the players some more to work harder.”

Kelly said despite having a small group of supporters, it did not prove challenging for his team. “It did not bother us at all. We had probably quarter of the crowd if so much. We know we have a game to play, you have to play hard, play fair, and at the end of the day, I always tell them ‘make sure and enjoy the game,’” he said.

The veteran coach said getting the wicket of Naparima captain and opening batsman Cephas Cooper for duck was a key moment that took the crowd out of the match.

“It is always important (to get the wicket of Cooper) because he is the best player on their team so once we get him early (it is pivotal).”

Cooper, a West Indies Under-19 player, was dismissed without a run on the board for Naparima who batted first. The fall of Cooper seemed to stun the crowd and the Naps players found scoring tough, progressing slowly to 48 for two after 10 overs.

National youth player Avinash Mahabirsingh and Kyle Roopchand led a fightback for Naparima, sharing in a solid fourth wicket partnership. Mahabirsingh punished West Indies Under-19 cricketer Kirstan Kallicharan in the 19th over to give Naps a late flurry.

Kallicharan conceded 19 runs in the over which featured a ‘Dilshan scoop’ by Mahabirsingh for four. Another 11 runs in the final over pushed Naparima to a modest 116/4 off 20 overs. Mahabirsingh ended on an unbeaten 40 which included four fours, while Roopchand scored 36 with two fours. Ronaldo Forester finished with one for nine in three overs for Hillview.

In reply, Hillview got an opening partnership of 106 between Simmons and national youth player Navin Bidaisee that helped coast to victory. Hillview raced to 100 off 12.5 overs with Simmons leading the charge with some exciting strokeplay. National youth spinner Justyn Gangoo got the wicket of Simmons, caught at backward point for 60 with Hillview only in need of 11 runs for victory.

Left-handed Simmons struck nine fours.

Hillview captain Dexter Sween was out for one, before Bidaisee and Sachin Seecharan guided Hillview to the win. Bidaisee ended on 44 not out which included four fours.

SUMMARISED SCORES: NAPARIMA COLLEGE 116/4 (Avinash Mahabirsingh 40 not out, Kyle Roopchand 36, Ronaldo Forrester 1/9) vs HILLVIEW COLLEGE 117/2 (16.2 overs) (Keagan Simmons 60, Navin Bidaisee 44 not out, Justyn Gangoo 2/24). Hillview won by eight wickets.