CCC storm into World Universities T20 final

COMBINED Campuses and Colleges (CCC) stormed into the final of the UWI World Universities T20 Cricket Tournament yesterday with an emphatic eight-wicket win over England's Oxford at the Sir Frank Worrell Cricket Ground, St Augustine. The Englishmen won the toss and batted first, making an impressive 171 for three in their allotted 20 overs. They would have been pleased with their total, but it proved easily attainable as CCC coasted to 173 for two in 18.4 overs.

Oxford got their best start of the tournament thanks to Christopher McBride (74 with four fours and four sixes) and Mohammed Rizvi (28 with four fours) setting the pace with an opening stand of 88. The partnership was broken in the 11th over when spinner Keron Cottoy had Rizvi stumped by Gion Benjamin. Pacer Michail Powell then removed Zaman Akhter for six, before McBride's 55-ball knock ended when he was bowled by Yannick Ottley with the sore at 122 in the 14th. However, skipper James Seward (25 off 18, two sixes) and Harry Adair (23 off eight with a four and two maximums) would put on 49 to guide their team to a solid total.

Surprisingly, CCC made easy work of the chase after a wobbly start. Liam Burgess bowled opening batsman Kyle Corbin with a delivery that kept low without a run on the scoreboard, but this allowed Nicholas Sookdeosingh to enter the wicket with Kjorn Ottley. They took their time rebuilding the innings and with 94 needed in the final 10 overs, they stepped up the pace with Sookdeosingh proving the aggressor. He would go on to smash an unbeaten 90 from just 59 balls, with nine fours and four sixes. Ottley supported with 34 from 30 (one four, two sixes) before he edged Thomas Heathfield to Matthew Taylor at backward square.

With the score 89 for two, Sookdeosingh found an equally hard-hitting partner in Odain McCathy. They would put on 84 in just seven overs, with McCathy making 36 off 21 deliveries. His knock included one four and three massive sixes as CCC eased home with nearly two overs to spare. Oxford will have one more shot at making the final on Sunday as they're due to play the winner of last night's late eliminator between UWI and the Tertiary Sport Association of TT at 2 pm tomorrow.