JAMAICA?ENDED?the Windward Islands’ unbeaten run with a comfortable five-wicket win last night to advance to tonight’s final of the Caribbean Twenty20 Tournament.
Needing, an easy target of 99 runs, Jamaica, after a few alarms, got past the line with 12 balls to spare in the first semi-final last evening at Kensington Oval.
It was the second straight year that the Windwards lost at this stage.
Jamaica will now meet the winners of last night’s other semi-final between host Barbados and rivals Trinidad and Tobago.
Last year’s losing semi-finalist Jamaica lost openers Nkrumah Bonner (19) and Danza Hyatt (14) five balls apart after they added 33 in 5.3 overs.
David Bernard and Marlon Samuels altered the course, posting 37 for the fourth wicket, before Bernard – who lashed 22 from 24 balls including two sixes – was lbw to Gary Mathurin.
Samuels was caught at the wicket off Darren Sammy for 16 with the score on 78 for five. However, that was the last success, as Andre Russell and Carlton Baugh steered Jamaica to victory with an unbeaten partnership of 21.
Choosing to bat first, Windward Islands were limited to a paltry 98 for eight from their allotted 20 overs.
In the third over, Miles Bascombe was run out at the bowler’s end for nought after turning a ball from Krishmar Santokie off his hip to short fine-leg.
Andre Fletcher was yorked off-stump in the final delivery, also for a duck.
Santokie claimed two for 23 to move to a tournament-high 14 wickets.
The Windwards were in further peril when Devon Smith and Johnson Charles fell within four balls in the second over by leg-spinner Odean Brown as the side was reduced to 36 for four.
Smith swept to short fine-leg and Charles was caught behind, cutting at a delivery that bounced.
Charles’ run-a-ball knock of 29 with two chances contained five fours and took him to 207 runs, the most in the tournament.
There was a mini recovery of 40 off 8.5 overs for the fifth-wicket between Lindon James, with an unbeaten 37, and Liam Sebastien.
James, in his first match, replaced the injured Keddy Lesporis. He faced 41 balls, striking two fours and a savage pull for six over square-leg off Russell.
The stand ended when Sebastien came across the wicket and was bowled by Sheldon Cotterell (two for 20) for 11.
Sammy was run out at the striker’s end, looking for two, by some excellent work from Hyatt, who moved from deep mid-wicket to square-leg on the ropes.
Brown, who ended with two for 15, was adjudged Man Of The Match.
