National batsman Evin Lewis slammed an imperious unbeaten 100 to lead Powergen to a crushing 95�run victory over Bamboo Sports and a place in the semifinals of the National T20 tournament at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.
Lewis' epic knock took Powergen to an impressive 196 for three off their 20 overs and their experienced spin-based attack restricted Bamboo to 101 all out. After being discarded from the national team early in the season, the left-handed Lewis had a point to prove and was in a punishing mood. With the dew freshening up the surface after the first game, Lewis found the ball coming on to the bat nicely and was able to play through the line. The lightening fast outfield at Guaracara also provided him with great value for his shots and he thrived.
Powergen was quick off the blocks with Lewis and Sookdeosingh racing to 33 from just four overs, before the latter fell for 15. Sherwin Ganga joined Lewis and they continued to score at the rate of knots, as the Bamboo guys had no answer to the southern batsmen. Ganga fell for 28 off 23 balls but all the while Lewis was treating the bowling with scant regard. He reached his half-century off 35 balls with five fours and three sixes.
Jason Mohammed, struggling for form this season, was back in the runs and counted a rapid 47 off 22 balls. He struck three sixes and two fours. Just before the innings closed, Lewis brought up his century off 63 balls with 15 fours and four sixes.
After that beating, the Bamboo boys were down and out and only Guyanese Krishna Arjune was able to make a mark on the Powergen bowling, as he propped up the innings with a polished 62. While he gathered runs with ease, the others were folding around him and with a big partnership necessary in a huge chase, the absence of one led to their eventual huge thrashing.
Off-spinner Varoun Samaroo started the demolition job by sending back opener Ryan Ramasray for a 'duck' and from that point, it was always going to be an uphill task. A lot would have depended on national player Yannic Carriah and after he was found short of his crease for one, the writing was on the wall. Apart from Arjune, the only other player to get into double figures was Terrence Hinds who made 18.
Arjune, who looked a class apart from the rest of his teammates, made 62 off 49 balls and stroked one six and seven fours. Samaroo was the pick of the Powergen bowlers and ended with three for nine, while Ganga took 2/15 and Alex Antoine took 2/29.
At the end of the match, Lewis, who was crowned man of the match, said the knock was important with the CPL coming up as well as the Champions League. "I have been working on my game a lot this season and I have said to myself, all I can do is put the scores out there and let the selectors take note. The CPL is coming up and the T&T team has to be named to prepare for the Champions League, so I hope that this knock can assist me in getting into those teams."
Powergen will play Merryboys in the semifinals tonight from 7 pm.
SCORES:
Powergen 196/3 (20) (Evin Lewis 100 n.o., Jason Mohammed 47, Sherwin Ganga 28, Vishwanath 2/34) vs Bamboo Sports 101 all out (19.4) (Krishna Arjune 62, Terrence Hinds 18, Vaaroon Samaroo 3/9, Sherwin Ganga 2/15, Alex Antoine 2/29). Powergen won by 95 runs.
