Valiants cricket club are the new Championship T20 winners after taking care of favourites Tableland in the finals at Guaracara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre on Friday night.Batting first, Valiants rattled up a fighting 136/6 of 20 overs and when the rain came down during Tableland's reply they were tottering at 58 for six in 12.2 overs. Duckworth/Lewis specialist Rudy Ramesar ruled that Valiants were winners by 31 runs.
Batting first after winning the toss, Valiants lost two early wickets before Devon Nelson and David Livingston carried the score past the 50-run mark. Livingston left for 13 but Marcus Richards came in and was in fine touch getting 23 off 19 balls. Nelson was not explosive but kept the winnings together on a slow pitch, getting 45 off 47 balls with one four and three sixes. Towards the end of the innings Akeil Timothy scored an unbeaten 22 off 16 balls with two fours to aid the final total.
Tableland, with their experienced and powerful batting line-up was expected to over-power Valiant's bowlers, but it was never to be. They lost Ellon Lewis (the brother of national player Evin Lewis) for three and Amando Patterson for a 'duck' and never recovered. They laboured to 58 for six off 12.1 overs when the rain started to come. Although the weather began to improve and the game resumed with a final four overs remaining, the rain returned as soon as the players walked onto the field again.Bowling for Valiants, Chris Patia took 2/15, while there was a wicket apiece for Nevie McNally, Akeil Timothy, Magnum Nanan and Junior Gibbs.
Earlier, national opener Jeremy Solozano scored an unbeaten 80 to take Queen's Park II to a three-wicket victory over Victoria. Batting first Victoria made an impressive 163 for seven with Krishendath Ramoo getting 69 off 54 balls with six fours and a six. Also among the runs were Marcelle Jones with 42 off 26 balls inclusive of four sixes and two fours and Satrohan Rambarran 37 off 30 balls. The pick of the bowlers for Queen's Park was Nico Adams with 2/24.
Facing a tall order, the Parkites needed Solozano to fire and that is exactly what he did. He led from the front scoring an unbeaten 80 off 52 balls with eight fours and two sixes. Nicholas Arthur assisted well with 36 and although Queen's Park lost wickets in clusters at the end, they were finally able to cross the winning target.
Result
Valiants 136/6 (20)(Devon Nelson 45, Marcus Richards 23, Akeil Timothy 22no, Kenton Thompson 3/17)
vs Tableland 58/6 (12.1)(Kenton Thompson 16, Chris Patia 2/15)
Valiants won by 31 runs under Duckworth/Lewis.
THIRD PLACE PLAY-OFF
Victoria 163/7 (20)(Krishendath Ramoo 69, Marcelle Jones 42, Satrohan Rambarran 37, Nico Adams 2/24)
vs QPCC II 167/7 (19.4)(Jeremy Solozano 80no, Nicholas Arthur 36, Raffick Hosein 3/30, Marcelle Jones 2/32)
QPCC II won by 3 wkts.
