Super Centre Spartan are into tomorrow’s final of the Sagicor General Twenty/20 competition. Playing on Thursday night, at Kensington Oval, they comfortably defeated fellow first-time semi-finalists ESA Field Pickwick by 18 runs.
It will be Spartan’s first final, as well as it will be for the winners of last night’s other semi-final between YMPC and Counterpoint Wanderers.
Spartan’s batting was led by Shamarh Brooks with an undefeated 62 from 47 balls and Marrodon Bend (50) as they made 143 for four from the allotted 20 overs.
Afterwards, Rico Webb, three for 29, and Andre Marshall, four for 16, combined to dismiss Pickwick for 125 in 19.2 overs. Chaim Holder chipped in with two for 12.
Medium-pacer Webb put Pickwick under early pressure, snaring his wickets from four overs on the trot. Craig St Hill tickled one down the leg-side to the wicket-keeper.
Jamal Phillips was brilliantly caught by Jameel Stuart running back from mid-on. The prize wicket of the prolific Shai Hope (20), came when he cut to Brooks at point in Webb’s third over.
Left-arm spinner Marshall sustained the pressure, removing Rohan Ryan and Jared Gilkes within two balls in his first over. Ryan was trapped lbw on the back foot and Gilkes was caught by Bend on the run behind square.
Tino Best made a quick-fire 25, including two fours and two sixes but tried the sweep once too often and fell lbw to Marshall. The celebrations started when Romelle Small was caught in the deep off Marshall.
With 43 runs needed from the final five overs, all hopes faded once Kyle Hope charged down the pitch to Holder and was stranded off the fourth ball of the 16th over. He made a run-a-ball 35.
Earlier, invited to bat, Spartan were 43 for two at the half-way point, losing both openers early.
The stylish Brooks and the free-scoring Bend then admirably repaired the early damage, posting a third-wicket stand of 114 in 89 balls.
Brooks notched up his second successive half-century. He hit five fours and two sixes, with both coming off Best. The first was an uppercut wide of third-man and the next whipped behind backward square.
Bend made a timely return to form, despite being put down on 23 by Ryan at deep cover in Gilkes’ first over. He faced 43 deliveries, striking three fours and two sixes. In Gilkes’ next over he picked up a boundary off the legs, then danced down the track next ball and lofted it for six over long-on.
He was well caught at the wicket by Shai Hope, diving low to his right off Adeko Collymore in the penultimate over. Andre Gill was bowled by Zahir Motara (2 for 16) in the last over.