St Benedict's upset Presentation Chaguanas in T20 quarterfinal

This year's Secondary Schools Cricket League (SSCL) 50-over champions Presentation College (Chaguanas) were knocked out of the PowerGen Intercol Twenty/20 (T20) tournament on April 11, as they fell to a five-run loss to St Benedict's College in a dramatic quarterfinal matchup at the Balmain Recreation Ground, Couva.

Batting first, St Benedict's were bowled out for a modest score of 133 in 19.3 overs, with solid contributions from the allround pair of Mickel Mentor (39 off 30 balls) and Josh Telemaque (25 off 13 balls). Dillon Balkaran led the Presentation Chaguanas attack with figures of three for 12, while Ramone Sawh took three for 22.

Presentation Chaguanas, who narrowly edged their rivals Presentation College (San Fernando) to the league title earlier this season, would have fancied chasing the 134-run target, but Mentor and the St Benedict's bowlers had other ideas.

Chaguanas were reeling at 28 for three inside the fourth over. And by the ten-over mark, the game was perfectly in the balance as Chaguanas progressed to 67 for five – leaving them needing 67 runs off the last ten overs.

The league champions got a 49-run stand between Sawh (25 off 35 balls) and Brandon Phillip (25 off 28 balls) for the sixth wicket as they appeared to be regaining control of the game. However, when Phillip was bowled by Kevin Kanhai (one for 19) to leave Chaguanas on 102 for six in the 16th over, Benedict's tightened the screws.

After 18 overs, Chaguanas were placed on 118 for six – leaving them needing 16 to get off the last two overs. The lanky Mentor crucially struck for Benedict's in the penultimate over, as he saw the back of Sawh to leave the opposition on 122 for seven after 18.5 overs.

At the start of the final over, Chaguanas needed ten runs to claim victory. However, Telemaque (one for 16) delivered a fine last over as he conceded just four runs and helped his team create three game-sealing run outs with his tight bowling at the death.

Earlier at the Balmain Recreation Ground, defending champions Pres San Fernando romped to a nine-wicket win against St Mary's College after restricting the opposition for a paltry 106 for eight.

Aadi Ramsaran starred for San Fernando with three for 13, while opening batsman Riyaad Mohammed spanked 71 off just 38 balls to blow the Saints out of the water in the chase.

At the National Cricket Centre (NCC), Vishnu Boys' Hindu College squeezed into the semifinal as they got a tight four-run win against Hillview College in a low-scoring affair.

Vishnu Boys were restricted to just 90 for five, with Aaron Basant top-scoring with 42 off 46 balls. Despite defending a meagre total, Zachary Madray (two for ten) and Andrew Rambaran (two for 27) helped bowl their school to victory as Hillview only managed 86 for eight in their 20 overs.

In the other game at the NCC, last year's runners-up Fatima College put in another professional display as they defeated Naparima College by a 31-run margin.

Fatima made 149 for six, with Joshua Davis spanking an unbeaten 71 off 45 balls. The former national youth captain put the icing on a fine allround performance as he returned figures of three for 32 to help restrict "Naps" to 118 for seven.

In the semis on April 16, St Benedict's will tackle Fatima, while the reigning champs San Fernando will play Vishnu Boys.

Summarised Scores:

St Mary's College – 106/8 from 20 overs (Jadon Simon 25, Rahul Lakhan 13; Aadi Ramsaran 3/13) vs Presentation College (San Fernando) – 107/1 from 12 overs (Riyaad Mohammed 71 not out, Levi Ghanny 12; R Lakhan 1/23). Presentation San Fernando won by nine wickets.

Vishnu Boys' Hindu College – 90/5 from 20 overs (Aaron Basant 42, Zachary Madray 28; Renaldo Fournillier 4/9) vs Hillview College – 86/8 from 20 overs (R Fournillier 21, Ethan Ramsundar 19; Z Madray 2/10, Andrew Rambaran 2/27). Vishnu Boys won by four runs.

St Benedict's College – 133 from 19.3 overs (Mickel Mentor 39, Josh Telemaque 25; Dillon Balkaran 3/12, Ramone Sawh 3/22) vs Presentation College (Chaguanas) – 128 from 20 overs (R Sawh 25, Brandon Phillip 25; M Mentor 2/22). St Benedict's won by five runs.

Fatima – 149/6 from 20 overs (Joshua Davis 71, Niall Maingot 23; Matthew Cooper 2/10, Aarion Mohammed 2/36) vs Naparima College – 118/7 from 20 overs (Stefan Katwaroo 31, M Cooper 27; J Davis 3/32, Zachary Siewah 2/12). Fatima won by 31 runs.