Munroe Road locked down

PRISONS stunned Munroe Road by four wickets to top Group B and advance to the semifinals of the 2019 UWI-UNICOM T20 tournament, at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground, St Augustine on Sunday. Following a nerve-wrecking one wicket win over Central Sports in the day's opening affair, Prisons found the going a bit more comfortable against Munroe Road, easily chasing a target of 140 in just under 18 overs.

After sending Munroe Road in to bat, Prisons rattled through the order, only to find staunch resistance in the form of Takim Lowe. Lowe hammered 86 off just 55 balls with eight fours and four scintillating maximums, but he just couldn't find a partner to stay in the wicket. Narindra Bridgelal started the damage, bowling Dillon Basdeo (0) and then scalping Akeem Alvarez leg-before for two. Just one other batsman got into double figures with Joey Samuel making 11. Coming together at 58 for four, the pair put on a 32-run partnership for the fifth wicket but after Samuel fell leg-before to M Fredericks, the innings fell apart.

Fredericks ended with two for 24, with the other batters mopped up by former national Under-19 spinner, Javed Boodram. He got Lowe out by lobbing to Ravi Khan, before trapping Emilio Gopaul LBW for five. Eventually, Munroe Road crawled to 140 for eight from their allotted 20. Bridgelal secured two for 20 while Boodram finished with two for 23.

In their turn at the crease, Prisons benefited from a solid start thanks to its top three batsmen. Openers A. Mohammed (26) and T. James (17) laid the foundation with a stand of 29 before James was out leg-before to R. Seecharan. Ravi Khan, after a half-century in the game before, entered the wicket and crafted a diligent 37 off 25 with five fours and a six. Mohammed cracked three fours himself before he was bowled by L. Ramlal. Wickets then fell cheaply with Khan departing to leave the Prisons outfit nervous at 95 for five in the 13th. However, they kept their composure with Rivaldo Ramlogan making 12, and then Boodram (20 not out) and Bridgelal (18 not out) seeing their side home.

They shared an unbroken seventh wicket stand of 39 to help Prisons reach 141 for six in 17.4 overs and seal a semis spot against the winners of Group C. Their opponents will be determined when EYM, Clarke Road and Cane Farm do battle this Sunday at the same venue, with all three matches occurring that day from 10 am, 2 pm and 6 pm.

In the group's final match – a consolation affair – Munro Road were bowled out for 128 in 18.1 overs, with Central Sports coasting to 129 for two in 16.2 thanks to Kjorn Ottley's 64 off 40 and Al Small's 35.

Summarised scores:

Munroe Road 140/8 (Takim Lowe 86, Narindra Bridgelal 2/20, Javed Boodram 2/23, M. Fredericks 2/24) vs. Prisons 141/6 (Ravi Khan 37, A. Mohammed 26, T. James 17, L. Ramlal 2/23). Prisons won by four wickets.