Terrence Hinds’ four-wicket blitz, 4-29, set up an easy nine-wicket win for Soca Strikers over Cocrico Warriors in the final of the 50-Over Senior Cup at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, San Fernando, Friday.
The Warriors had a disturbing start and were reduced to nine for three after the wickets of Shatrughan Rambaran (2), Kjorn Ottley (5), and Brendan Boodoo (1) fell. Boodoo was Hinds’ first wicket, trapping him leg-before-wicket (lbw).
Chrystian Thurton fought back with a fighting 15 that came from 17 balls and included a four and a six, but he was wicket number four, bowled by a beautiful and clinical yorker from Hinds.
Navin Bidaisee top-scored for the Warriors with 16. The West Indies batsman hit three fours in his knock. He took the Warriors past 50 but was caught by wicketkeeper Leonardo Julien off the bowling of Raheem Toppin with the score on 51 after ten overs.
The Warriors lost four wickets in the six runs, with the wickets of Antonio Gomez, Matthew Patrick, and Dexter Sween that followed soon after Bidaisee, and were 60 for eight.
They were eventually bowled out for 89 in 17.3 overs.
Set 90 to win, the Soca Strikers started briskly and got a 75-run opening stand between Nicholas Sookdeosingh and Cephas Cooper. Sookdeosingh hit eight fours and a six in a 48-ball 51, and Cooper added a 38-ball 30 with one four and one six.
The partnership ended with the dismissal of Sookdeosingh at 75 for one. The Clarke Road batsman was attempting another maximum when he skied a Bryan Charles delivery for Dexter Sween to complete an easy catch.
The dismissal did little to retard the Strikers' march to the win as they got the 15 runs required to claim the victory. Leonardo Julien (5) was not out with Cooper in the end as Soca Strikers completed the nine-wicket win.
Summarised scores
Cocrico Warriors 89 (17.3 Overs) (Navin Bidaisee 16; Chrystian Thurton 15; Terrence Hinds 4-29; Abdul Raheem Toppin 2-32) vs Soca Strikers 90 /1 (15.2 Overs) (Nicholas Sookdeosingh 51; Cephas Cooper 30 not out; Bryan Charles 1-17). Soca Strikers won by 9 wickets.
