James cracks 50 as Scarborough/Mason Hall lift Tobago T20 crown

SCARBOROUGH/ Mason Hall Cricket Club captured the Tobago Cricket Association (TCA) Twenty/20 title on May 26 when they got a tight five-wicket win over the Bago Gladiators in the final at the Cyd Gray Sporting Complex in Roxborough.

The Gladiators advanced to the final after defeating Georgia Police Youth Club in the second eliminator match on May 25. However, they couldn't get past the Scarborough team which also defeated them in the qualifier on May 19. Scarborough walked away with a $15,000 prize for their exploits.

Batting first, the Gladiators made a modest 143 for six, with Richard Ali (44 not out off 33 balls) leading the way. Keon Isaac chipped in with 26, while opener Leron Lezama added 24.

After the Gladiators slipped to 56 for four in the tenth over, the pair of Ali and Isaac gave the innings impetus with their 60-run partnership for the fifth wicket before the stand was broken by allrounder Joshua James (one for 35) in the 18th over.

Four Scarborough bowlers took a wicket apiece, with Kelon Lynch (one for 14) delivering a miserly four-over spell.

In response, Scarborough had their own batting struggles, and they were in a precarious position at 73 for five after the dismissal of Lynch (nine) in the 13th over. Isaac opened the bowling and delivered a brilliant spell of two for 15 as he appeared to be steering the Gladiators to victory.

With 71 needed off the last 47 balls, though, James (50 not out off 29 balls) and Shaquille Duncan (26 not out off 29 balls) wrested the game away from the Gladiators with their unbeaten 71-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

James, a former West Indies under-19 player, was particularly punishing on the Gladiators attack and he thumped four sixes and two boundaries in his innings to guide Scarborough to the 144-run target with two balls to spare. Duncan hit just two boundaries in his knock and he played the supporting role in the game-sealing partnership as James launched a scathing attack at the other end.

Summarised Scores:

Bago Gladiators 143/6 (20overs) - Richard Ali 44 not out, Keon Isaac 26; Kelon Lynch 1/14 vs Scarborough/Mason Hall CC 144/5 (19.4 overs) - Joshua James 50 not out, Shaquille Duncan 26 not out; Keon Isaac 2/15. Scarborough/Mason Hall CC won by five wickets.