Powergen ousted from T20 semis for illegal player

JASON MOHAMMED’s match-winning knock of 55 not out for PowerGen against Queen’s Park II on Tuesday went in vain, as Powergen’s seven-wicket victory was overturned via the National League Disciplinary Committee.

Powergen were reprimanded for the late registration of one of their players and have now lost their spot in today’s semi-finals of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) T20 Festival.

Mohammed’s knock was instrumental as Powergen reached 120 runs for three wickets with 3.4 overs remaining, in response to Queen’s Park II’s score of 118 runs for eight wickets.

But the TTCB, in a media release yesterday, announced that the Parkites II were awarded the victory after the National League Disciplinary Committee met and upheld an appeal, over the late registration of PowerGen’s Grenadian pace bowler Josh Thomas.

Today, in the semi-final round, Queen’s Park II will tackle Alescon Comets from 2.30 pm while, four hours later, Queen’s Park I will oppose Central Sports. The final will be staged on Saturday.

Concerning Tuesday’s quarter-final game, Mohammed, who was recently dropped from the West Indies T20 team to face the Rest of the World in a hurricane relief match at Lord’s, London, England next month (after captaining the WI team to a 3-0 loss away to Pakistan), came to the middle in the second over, with PowerGen in a bit of trouble at 12/2.

Pacers Selwyn Peters and Dexter Sween did the early damage, dismissing openers Andre Fletcher (one) and Mark Deyal (four) respectively.

Off-spinner Namir Suepaul removed TT Red Force batsman Ewart Nicholson (15) with his first ball, caught behind by wicketkeeper Joshua Da Silva, to leave PowerGen at 45/3 in the ninth over.

But Mohammed, with good support from Akeil Cooper, had little trouble as they posted an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 75 in 9.1 overs.

Mohammed faced 52 deliveries and struck a six and five fours – the last one, a shot through gully off left-arm spinner Darren Deonarine, guaranteed victory for the South-based squad. At the other end, Cooper was on 37, off 28 balls, with two fours and three sixes.

Queen’s Park II hardly got the measure of a slow pitch and efficient PowerGen bowling.

West Indies Under-19 team vice-captain Kirstan Kallicharan played a valiant hand of 34, from 36 deliveries, with two fours and a six, while the next highest score was left-hander Joshua Ramdoo with 15.

Thomas (2/21) and captain, and evergreen leg-spinner Samuel Badree (2/26) were the leading wicket-takers for PowerGen.