EYM, Bamboo All Stars advance to Powerade T20 semis

The top four teams in the two groups all qualified for the quarter-final. Qualifying from Group A were El Socorro Youth Movement (EYM -13 points), Charlieville Same Side (nine), Combine All Stars B (nine) and Valley Boys (six).

In Group B were World Premium Import (WPI-13 points), Bamboo All Stars (10 points), Mystery XI (six points) and Combine All Stars A (four points).

Coming out of the group stages, Darren Bravo was the leading runscorer with 226 runs in five innings at an average of 45.2 while Teshawn Castro was the leading wicket-taker with 10.

EYM and Combine All Stars A met in a quarter-final match with EYM posting 158 runs for the loss of five wickets, after being inserted to bat.

Captain Deepak Kumar, who is the in-form batsman for the unbeaten EYM, blazed a score of 43 runs from 23 balls, including one four and four sixes.

Also contributing was Richard Ali with 39 runs, while the best bowler for Combine All Star A was Kadeem Williams with 2/42.

In reply, All Stars crumbled to 81 all out in 18.2 overs to give EYM a 77-run victory and a spot in the semi-final.

The major destroyer with the ball were the eventual Man of the Match Shakeem Prince with figures of 4/5 in his four overs.

The other quarter-final was a battle of the ‘All Stars’ as Bamboo All Stars captain Kieron Pollard won the toss and sent in Combine All Stars B to bat.

In their tally of 147/7, Trinidad and Tobago Red Force batsman Isaiah Rajah top-scored with 49 runs, inclusive of two fours and two sixes. He was backed up by Shane De Souza (23) and Sheldon Thomas (21). West Indies all-rounder Pollard was the leading wicket taker with 3/31 and he was aided by Andy Alexander 2/35.

Bamboo had a nervy start to the run chase after they lost opener Johnathon Narine as well as ex-WI captain Denesh Ramdin for one run each. They continued to lose wickets regularly until Pollard joined Darren Bravo at the crease and they brought home victory quite comfortably in the end, reaching 153/5 with two overs to spare.

Bravo continued to wear the ‘purple cap’ as he ended unbeaten on 56 runs including five maximums while Man of the Match Kieron Pollard’s 54 runs including five maximums.

WPI will come up against Valley Boys at 6.30 pm today followed by the semi-finals, tomorrow and Thursday respectively, at the same venue