A four-wicket haul by off-spinner Ramon Greaves, backed up by excellent fielding, earned CGI/Sandy Crest Maple a place in tomorrow’s final of the BCA Sagicor General Twenty20 Competition.
In the first semi-final on Thursday night, at Kensington Oval, Maple defeated TeleBarbados Carlton by 14 runs.
Their opponents in the final will be the winners of last night’s second semi-final between defending champions ICBL Empire and YMPC.
Carlton, chasing what seemed a modest 109 from 20 overs, were dismissed for 94 in 18.4 overs.
They needed 15 from the last two overs but Rayad Emrit (two for five) from 1.4 overs sealed the deal. He removed Jamal Noel and Dane Currency off the first and fourth balls of the 19th over.
Quite fittingly, Currency was caught at long off by Greaves off the Trinidadian medium-pacer who has played two One-Day Internationals for the West Indies.
It was Man Of The Match Greaves, who ended with the wonderful figures of four for ten from four overs including one maiden, who started the problems for Carlton in the fifth over.
After Dale Richards had struck Shane Ramsay for three lovely boundaries in the first over, Greaves replaced him and soon had Richards brilliantly caught by Emrit diving forward coming in from long on.
Kirk Gibson was caught at long on by Orman Kellman off Greaves and Vonrick Nurse was bowled by Ramsay.
Carlo Morris, 19, added 33 for the fourth wicket in 5.3 overs with Kyle Mayers (14).
Once Morris was lbw shuffling across to medium-pacer Kirk Brome, Maple never relinquished the grip as Carlton lost seven wickets for 30 runs in 5.4 overs.
Kurt Wilkinson was bowled by Greaves, Ryan Hurley was run out by a direct hit at the striker’s end from Renaldo Parris at point, and Dawayne Sealy was lbw off the next ball as three wickets fell in the 16th over.
Earlier, Maple were sent in and were limited to 108 for eight from 20 overs.
They lost the wicket of Kerry Thompson, bowled by Sealy, in the first over.
Pedro Agard was fourth out at 36 in the tenth over, caught at midwicket off Marlon Graham (two for 23).
However, Emrit with 23, including three fours from 19 deliveries, added a precious 43 in 5.4 overs with Jamar Griffith, whose 25 included two sixes and one four from 23 balls.
Emrit was eventually bowled swinging across the line to Graham and Griffith was leg before to Wilkinson.
In the end, Maple moved one step closer towards taking the title for the second time.
They were the inaugural champions back in 2008, while Carlton took the title following year.