Soca Kings beat Steelpan Players in T10 Blast

Soca Kings sealed the top position of TT Cricket Board Trinidad T10 Blast with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over Steelpan Players, at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on Sunday.

Batting first, Steelpan Players could only manage 70 from their allotted ten overs, losing six wickets along the way. Former West Indies captain Denesh Ramdin was the main scorer with 32 runs from 20 balls while Sidel Diaz added 16 runs from 17 balls.

Chadeon Ryamond was the main destroyer with the ball for the Kings taking two wickets for 14 runs, and executing a run out on the last ball of the inning. Spinners Nicholas Ali (1/9) and Jon-Russ Jaggesar (1/11) were threatening and economical in their two overs.

Defending a modest total of 71, West Indies fast bowler Anderson Phillip gave Steelpan Players some hope when he trapped Vaaroon Samaroo LBW for a duck in his first ball. However, Kirstan Kallicharan weathered the early storm with an assured and unbeaten innings of 42 from 30 balls, including six boundaries. All-rounder Dejourn Charles added 16 runs including two maximums and captain Jason Mohammed was not out on 17 when they reached their target with an over to spare.

Soca Kings remain on top the standings with 14 points from six matches and Steelpan Players are languishing in seventh position with four points.

The second match of the day between last-placed Parakeet Buccaneers and second-placed Scarlet Ibis Scorchers was abandoned. Buccaneers, searching for their first win of the tournament, were batting 81/4 from 8.5 overs when the rain stopped play. Destructive opening batter Evin Lewis made 30 from 14 balls (three 4s, two 6s). Leonardo Julien and Christopher Vincent both added 11 runs whilst Adrian Cooper was unbeaten on ten. Dexter Sween (1/8), Bryan Charles (1/14) and Tion Webster (1/9) were among the wickets.

The target for Scorchers was revised to 52 to win from five overs. Left-arm orthodox Vincent dented their chances when he bowled Joshua Da Silva and Joshua Ramdoo in the opening over while conceding just five runs. Webster (25 off 12 balls) and Vikesh Harrylochan (21 off ten balls) had their team on course for victory needing four runs from seven balls when the rain returned to abandon the game.