Garden State Cricket League T20
By Dervon Wallace
Montego Bay Cricket Club claim the Garden State Cricket League twenty20 trophy with a faster run-rate over rival Wanderers Cricket Club in the championship game at the Cedar Park Cricket field when bad light stops play.
Glen Hall struck a 44 from 33 balls.
On a cool overcast afternoon, Wanderers won the toss and inserted Montego Bay. Openers Glen Hall and Savan Patel added 52 in 5 overs before Patel 23 (10balls 3×4 1×6) was removed by Chris Vassel. Hall was joined by young Maurice Powell, with the score on 77 in the ninth over, Hall who was suffering from a back injury looked in good nick before veteran Trevor Witticks had him caught by Nelson for 44 (33 balls 1×6 3×4). Powell and number 4 man Kiran Patel took the score 111 in the fourteenth over before the latter was brilliantly run out by Domain Sangster with a direct hit. Powell and Captain Sid Mehto added 43 in 4 overs but not without controversy when Wanderers on no fewer than 4 occasions refused to dismiss Powell who is known to be a slow scorer and Montego Bay having a few big hitters to come.
It was a tactic that came back to hunt Wanderers when Powell changed gear making a top score of 47 (36 balls 3×4 1×6) before Damien Morgan uprooted his mid stump. In came danger man Rashard Marshall one of the hitters Wanderers was trying to keep away from the wicket, Marshall to the delight of Wanderers lasted only one ball as he got one that pitched on off-stump and moving drawing him into a drive which he only succeed in edging to the keeper. Mehto fell for 27 (16balls 3×4) and Barrington Bartley in his usual style played a couple delightful shots to be unbeaten on 17 (7balls 2×4 1×6) as the inning folded at 190 for 8 from allotted 20 overs. Vassel finish with 3 for 28 from 4, Morgan 3 for 38 from 4 and Witticks 1 for 37 from 4.
In their reply Wanderers started with A. Bukhari and C. Oliver and they posted 61 in 8 overs before Oliver 26 (17 balls 5×4) was run out. With the light starting to become a factor and 10 over needed to constitute a game with the league rule stating the team ahead the overall run rate of the team that batted first wins both teams were seen in huddles discussing tactics. At 77 in the tenth over Bukhari fell to Neil McGarrel for 38 (30 balls 4×4). With Wanderers behind the run rate S. Stanilans and Sangster try to up the tempo but was held in checked by a discipline Montego Bay attack. Both umpires could be seen in discussion throughout and when the second ball of the fifteen over bowled by Bartley was hit back past the bowlers end umpire without him seeing the ball and the fielder in the deep Marshall also losing sight of the ball it was clear the umpires who must be credited for doing their best to get in the required over to constitute a game had no choice but to remove the bails and call time as the safety of the players came first. With Wanderers behind at the interruption indiscipline raised its ugly head when Sangster unsportingly used his bat to hit over both set of stumps while the debate over the light rages.
At the end Montego Bay was declared champions; Final score Montego Bay CC 190 for 8 from 20 overs and Wanderers CC 124 for 2 from 14.2 overs, Montego Bay victorious with Wanders 19 runs behind the run rate.