QPCC open UWI T20 title defence in style

QUEEN’S Park Cricket Club began the defence of the 2020 UWI-Unicom Twenty20 tournament in style with an emphatic six-wicket win over Marchin Patriots to open the competition, on Thursday. The Parkites coasted to 142 for four in 18.5 overs at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground at UWI SPEC after restricting the Patriots to 141 for eight in their 20 overs in Group A.

Queen’s Park got off to a blistering start, registering 52 without loss after just five overs. Sunil Narine opened with Tion Webster to remind Kolkata and Trinbago Knight Riders fans what he can do at the top of the order. He made 29 off 16 with five fours and a six before he was bowled by Jyd Goolie. Dwayne Bravo came in but he perished the same way to Goolie for four. The run-rate slowed a bit with Kern Matheson then claiming Justin Guillen for five.

However, Webster ramped up the chase, bringing up his fifty off 47 deliveries in just under an hour. He smashed three fours and three sixes at this point. He was joined by Daron Cruickshank, who made 19 off 15 with two boundaries. But after taking 19 off Roshan Parag, QPCC lost their danger man as Webster lofted Vishan Jagessar into skipper Adrian Ali’s hands. The opener departed for 55 from 49 balls and with two wickets taken while bowling, he sealed a man-of-the-match performance.

There was work still needed to be done but Nicholas Alexis stepped up to the plate. He smashed 27 off 14 with two fours and a pair of maximums to his name.

With 14 needed from the final two overs, Alexis’ sixes came off Vickram Malloram to leave the Parkites full of confidence as they played UWI Cricket Club in the night’s closing match to see who would be the top two teams advancing to the quarter-finals.

When the Parkites bowled, it was, as expected, another disciplined performance with the ball and in the field. Christopher Vincent emerged as their best bowler with three for 32 from his four while Webster nabbed two for 22 and Bravo got two for 27. Jagassar top scored with 36, Teshawn Castro made 30 and Matheson got to 17, but Marchin ultimately fell well short of a target.