Vincy Premier T10 League 2020 Highlights: Finalists decided

Kesrick slaps one down to extra cover for four. He follows that up with a six on the leg side. They then run back for 2 after a slam down to long on. The Rangers are still going for the target. The problem, of course, for the Rangers is that there is not much batting to come. Kesrick fails to make contact with the bat and reacts by slamming the bat onto his own pads. That reaction serves some kind of purpose, as he connects cleanly with the last ball of the over to send it over the ropes down the ground. 51 required to win in the last 2 overs. Kesrick has moved to 21 off 9 balls.

Atticus Browne starts his innings with a six. The required run rate is now 24 though. Safe to say this chase is now beyond the Rangers. 72 runs required in the last three overs, with Kesrick on 3 and Atticus on 7.

The Hikers had been 74/1 after 6 overs, not too much more than where the Rangers are now, but it was in the last four overs that Dillon and Salvan had exploded. Will there be a similar blast from ther Rangers? Unlikely, given that Dember is bowled off the 2nd ball of the 7th over. Dember goes for 33. 

Romel Currency is bowled! The ball kept low. Kimson Dalzell has more luck than his brother, starting the over off with Currency's wicket. Currency departs for a lowly 6 and the La Soufriere Hikers do jigs around the ground. They know how big a wicket this is. And that brings out Kesrick Williamsat No 4! The West Indies international has some grand ambitions today.

Skipper Romel Currency comes out at No 3. Currency and Dember are the two most experienced batsmen in this order. They are chasing a mountain of runs but they are exactly who the team will want in the middle. And Currency starts his scoring with a fine cut shot for four off Kenson Dalzell. Some fine fielding in the rest of the over keeps the boundary count down. Dember manages to pierce the infield off the last ball. Dember on 25. Currency on 6. The Botanic Garden Rangers are keeping in touch with the required run rate still.

Hyron Shallow sends the ball out of the park. Longest six of the match. The Botanic Garden Rangers are fighting fire with fire. Despite the huge target, they are managing to keep up with the run rate consistently. The problem for them is that they do not bat as deep as their opponents. One wicket here will change things rapidly. Dember gets a four in the over as well, capitalizing on a misfield in the deep. But then there is disaster for the Rangers off the last ball of the over. Hyron Shallow is out, caught in the deep. He goes for 26 off 11. He had been looking dangerous and the Hikers will be glad to see the back of him.

Dember connects finally. Othneil Lewis continues. Dember lofts him over his head for four. And he follows that up with an action replay later in the over. Dember is getting into his groove, ends the over on 15 off 12.

Hyron Shallow continues on the right note, getting a boundary in the 2nd over too. He moves to 16 off 5 balls. Dembar is struggling at the other end a bit. He is on 2 off 7 balls.

The Botanic Garden Rangers start their innings needing 151 to reach the final. Hyron Shallow, facing Othneil Lewis, starts off on the right note. A six over extra cover, a four run down past point and a push for a single. Dembar, opening the innings today, looks a little more suspect in the first over but survives three balls, getting a single off the last ball.

Nigel Small bowls the last over and does a decent job of it. Manages to keep the boundary count down. Dillon Douglas finishes the over with a six on the off side. Salvan Browne is run out in the over. He is out for 70 off 28 balls, his highest score in the VPL. Douglas Dillon remains not out on 58 off 18 balls, his highest score too. La Soufriere Hikers score a record-breaking 150/2 in their 10 overs and put one foot in Sunday's final.

A partnership of 73 has come between Dillon and Salvan. The highest 2nd wicket partnership in the VPL. Salvan is not out on 66 off 25. Dillon on 51 off 15 balls. The last over coming up with the score at 138/1. This is already the highest team score in the VPL. Ambris's highest individual highest of 75 on the line.

Kesrick Williams to bowl the 9th over as the Botanic Garden Rangers try to bring themselves back within a shout. Kesrick bowls a full toss straight into Douglas Dillon's body! The batsman lets go of his bat and starts jumping around in pain. And what a reaction off the very next ball! Kesrick misses the yorker again. Douglas lifts him out of the ground on the leg side, sends him on the furthest stands in the pavilion. And he goes down on his knee and lifts Kesrick over long on for another six! He moves to his 50, off 14 balls. This is his highest score of the VPL.

The carnage continues! Salvan Browne lays into Dembar. Two boundaries to start off the 8th over. Salvan moves to 65 off 23, Dillon with him on 38 off 11. Some VPL records are set to be broken today. Douglas Dillon finishes the 8th over with another glorious driven boundary. 

Dillon Douglas gets into the act in the 7th over! A wristy flick off the pads for six. Then there's a cut for four. One of the best looking batsmen in the VPL, Dillon, then follows it up with an ABD-esque ramp shot for six. Carnage from the La Soufriere Hikers batsmen! And there is no respite for the Rangers. Lifts the ball over long on for the third six in the over. Dillon Douglas has exploded. Ends the over with a fourth six in the over. 31 runs in the over! The most expensive over in the VPL. Dillon Douglas moves to 32 off 8 balls. Romario Bibby the unfortunate bowler.

Salvan Browne brings up his 50 with another boundary, off 17 balls. Dillon and Salvan get the score ticking with singles for the rest of the over, possibly laying the platform for a final assault.

Romario Bibby bowls the 5th over. Dean Browne gets into act now. He has played a lot of dot balls but plays a straight drive for six to move into double digits. Probably the best shot of the match so far, for all the bludgeoning being done by Salvan at the other end. Dean then miscues one and Romel Currency comes under it. Dean Browne goes for 14. Dillon Douglas emerges at No 3.

The Salvan Browne assault continues! Kevin Abraham the bowler at the end of the sword in the 4th over. Salvan has made the most of the Powerplay overs. The highest score in the VPL is 75 by Ambris. Salvan well on way tobreaking that record. Salvan is not out on 46 off 14 balls.

Kimali Williams replaces Kesrick.  He almost manages to bowl a tidy over before Salvan lashes out at him on the leg side off the last ball  to end the over with a four. Salvan moves into his 30s, having faced just 10 balls. 

The experienced Dembar comes on to bowl the 2nd over. And Salvan Browne is the aggressor-in-chief against him as well. Salvan has rapidly moved to 21 off 7 balls. His brother, playing the role of the foil, is on 3 off 4 balls.

The dangerous Salvan Browne takes first strike for the Hikers. Kesrick Williams takes the ball for the first over. And Salvan starts off with a six! Pulled with power. And he goes hard at the next ball too. There is a misfield in the deep and the Hikers away with a burst of boundaries. Salvan's brother Dean Browne is his opening partner today. Dean looks distinctly more uncomfortable against Kesrick but manages to punt one down for a single. Salvan clears his feet and swings at the last ball of the over as well to get a four.  Kesrick leaks 17 runs in his first over.

Romel Currency wins the toss and elects to field first. The Hikers, one of the most successful teams in the competition, to bat first. Currency, cutting a stark contrast in the field because he is not wearing a face mask, says the Hikers beat them in the league phase bowling first and so he wants to send them in to bat first. Second semifinal to start in a few more minutes.

Delorn Johnson finishes the match for his team with a six. Delorn finishes on 13*, his cameo bringing the match to a quick finish. The Salt Pond Breakers recover from a horrific first over to post a win with 7 balls to spare. Asif Hooper gave the Divers hope with 4 wickets in his first over but they could not make any inroads after that. Salt Pond Breakers have entered the final and will await to see who will meet them between Botanical Garden Rangers and La Soufriere Hikers.

The highly talented Obed McCoy to bowl the 9th over. Can he turn the tide in his team's favour? Goes up against the star pacer from the Breakers side in Delorn Johnson. McCoy starts off with a wide. And he follows it up with a no ball. The free hit is missed by both batsman and keeper and there are four byes. The Divers' campaign is coming to a disappointing end. When 4 wickets fell in the first over, they would have believed! But the match has slipped out of their grasp since then.

Delorn Johnson, coming out at No 7, swings hard at his first ball and that is another six. Taking over from Stapleton. It will be Delorn on strike as we head into the 9th over. 12 required to win in 2 overs

Run out! Stapleton is run out at the non-striker's end. This semifinal has turned out to have an unbelieavble script! Stapleton looked to be taking the Breakers home but he is run out against the run of play for 42. 63/5 after 7.2 overs

Stapleton goes after Hooper. Two sixes in that over and the match has turned in the Breakers' favour again. Stapleton leading the charge. The equation has come down to the Breakers needing only 21 runs off the last 3 overs. Stapleton has moved his score to 41. Urnel Thomas, on 15, is content to play second fiddle. 

A good partnership has started to build between Stapleton and Urnel. Urnel starts the 6th over with a four. Both batsmen are taking care to keep the score ticking even when the boundaries are not coming. Stapleton ends the over with a six down the ground. And that is game on in this semifinal! Stapleton moves to 26, Urnel on 14. Asif Hooper brings himself back on.

Obed McCoy bowls for the first time as the 5th over starts. The Divers keep the pressure on the Salt Pond Breakers with their seamers continuing to peg at troubling lines and lengths. Asif Hooper hands the ball to Razine Browne and has a word with him. The Divers, in the unlikeliest of circumstances, are on top of this match at the halfway stage of the chase.

Stapleton goes high again! Smashes Richie Richards down the ground and the ball flies over long on for a six. And Stapleton  goes again. This time it is a flat one swatted into extra cover. A good end to the Powerplay overs for the Breakers, courtesy Stapleton, who has moved to 19* with those two big shots.

Braxie Browne bowls a tight over, with the dot balls ramping up the pressure on the batsmen. The one sliver of hope for the Salt Pond Breakers is that both Urnel and Stapleton have got runs previously in this competition. They bat deep and so these two can take the match deep if they can build a partnership for a few overs. 

A quiet over as the Breakers try to recover from the Asif Hooper assault. Only 2 runs off the second over, bowled by Richie Richards. Hooper does not bring himself back for his 2nd over. One of the Browne brothers to bowl the first over of pace in this innings. 

Unbelievable first over. Stapleton, who has joined Urnel Thomas, starts off with a four. Will that bring some semblance of order to this innings? Asif Hooper has come up with a sensational first over. Table toppers Salt Pond are 4 wickets down in their first over. What would have seemed like an eminently achievable chase has now become a very imposing one.

Hooper! Gets Rickford Walker lbw out with his fifth ball. Unbelievable stuff from Hooper. Collapses on the pitch after his successfull appeal. The sparse crowd at the ground are making their disbelief heard with loud shrieks. The Salt Pond Breakers are making their disbelief heard with bowed heads.

Sunil Ambris is gone! What a first over! Asif Hooper has got Ambris stumped for a duck! The Salt Pond Breakers, who have been the top team in the competition, have dug a deep deep hole for themselves in this over. Unbelievable start to the innings. Asif Hooper runs around the ground in celebration. The entire Divers team chases him around.

Second wicket! 2 wickets in 2 balls! What a start to the innings. Donwell Hector is run out. Sunil Ambris cannot believe what is happening at his opposite end. Asif Hooper and team cannot believe the start they have made to the innings. Urnel Thomas joins Ambris.

What a beginning! Kadir Nedd goes for a first ball duck. What a start to the second innings. Asif Hooper takes the ball for the first over and with this first-ball wicket, the Divers will be raring to have a go at this. They need to defend 82 to reach the final. Ambris, at the non-striker's end, is joined by Donwell Hector.

An edge runs down past the keeper and into the boundary behind him. Wyllie the lucky batsman. There is a run out off the penultimate ball as the batsmen look to run doubles for everything. The tail manages to survive till the end of the innings, but this is still an eminently achievable target to chase down for Ambris's men.

Obed McCoy makes some amends. Swings at the ball hard and it is a much-needed six on the leg side. McCoy is then run out in trying to add some quick runs in the last over. The 8th wicket falls. Hooper and Pierre managed to keep their wickets intact for the first 5 overs, but there has been a deluge of wickets since their departures. McCoy got some welcome runs but he is now gone for 7.

More trouble for the Divers. Shem Browne is given caught behind. Delorn Johnson the bowler. The batsman is not very happy with the decision, but he has to depart for a grand score of 1. Shem's brother Razine comes out at No 7, with the Divers innings having taken a deep dive. Razine cannot rescue the innings either, getting caught out for a duck. The Divers middle order has been a parade of batsmen coming in and going back to the hut. Delorn Johnson's over accounts for three wickets and just one run. 

Wesrick Strough completes a superb spell. His 2 overs, which have yielded 3 wickets and only 11 runs, have handed the initiative to the Breakers. Wayne Harper and Shem Browne the two new men in. 100 seems to be the par score at this stage.

Alex Samuel is caught behind. He goes for 6. Wesrick Strough the man accounting for the wicket again. Richie Richards comes out but last just one ball. He is run out. The Divers have now lost the initiative given by their openers completely. The Salt Pond Breakers, inspired by Strough's over, are on top in this match now.

Pierre the next to go. He falls for 22. Jeremy Layne claims the wicket, Urnel Thomas catching in the deep. The Divers have lost their openers in quick succession. Will this bring out the fragility in the Divers middle order? Shem Browne has joined Samuel. 

Pierre moves into his 20s with a pulled four off Wesrick Strough. There has been excellent communication between the two openers today. Boundaries are coming in every over, but the singles are coming too. But Strough strikes! Against the run of play, there is a wicket. Captain Asif Hooper is bowled out on 32 by Strough. First breakthrough for Salt Pond Breakers. Alex Samuel comes out at No 3.

Runs have started to flow for Hooper and Pierre. Another boundary in the 5th over, again from Hooper's bat. The batsmen content to play out the rest of the over with singles. Hooper has moved on to 31. Pierre on 16. And the Divers look set to post a challenging total, their openers having givewn them the perfect start.

Ambris continues in the 4th over. Bowls a full toss to Pierre to start off and the batsman does not miss out. Swatted for four. A good solid start for the Divers, the only concern being the low run rate. And Hooper also punces on a fullish delivery by Ambris to drive him for four. Then Hooper goes hard on the leg side to bring the first six of the match. He finishes the over with another six down the ground. The Ambris over has turned out to be a big one. 21 runs in that over and the Divers score suddenly looks a lot better.

Javid Harry's left arm spin to begin the 3rd over. Romano Pierre gets into the act now, flicking him off the pads for four down to fine leg. Hooper and Pierre are playing circumspectly - this is what pressure of knockout matches can do. They do not want to head into the later part of the innings with half their side down. Pierre moves to 10. Hooper on 7.

Asif Hooper gets going. Cuts Ambris away for four. Goes after Ambris off the next ball as well but cannot get it away. Hooper has carried the Divers both with bat and ball in this competition. His team need him to play a similar oart today as well. The Divers end the 2nd over having kept their wickets intact.

Romano Pierre and Asif Hooper, as ever leading from the front, open the batting for the Divers. Delorn Johnson opens the bowling for the Salt Pond Breakers. A sedate start to the semifinal. 3 runs come off the first over. A few nudges for a singles in the first over. Sunil Ambris brings himself on to bowl the 2nd over.

Divers to bat first. Hooper wins the toss and decides that putting up a target is the way to go against Ambris and co. The first semifinal to start in a few more minutes.

The 5th place match saw a thrilling end, with Fort Charlotte Strikers holding their nerves in the last over. 17 wickets fell in that match! Two lower order batsmen top scoring for both teams. Javid Williams's 21 gave the Dark View Explorers something to bowl at, but Sylvan Spencer raised his hand to take the Strikers home.

That has set us up for the two semifinals to come up next. First up is Salt Pond Breakers, led by the unstoppable Sunil Ambris, taking on Asif Hooper's Grenadines Divers, who got through to the semis on the basis of net run rate.

No 10 Jaheil Walters keeps his end of the bargain, taking a single off the second last ball. Rasheed Fredericks on strike for the last ball. Scores are tied. Lindon James to bowl. Fredericks makes some contact off the last ball, batsmen scamper like their lives depended on it and the Fort Charlotte Strikers win by 1 wicket off the last ball. What a finish to the 5th place match! 

What drama! Spencer is caught with 2 runs to get to win. What a finish to this match! 2 to win the match with 2 balls left. 1 wicket in hand. Who can hold their nerves now? Sylvan Spencer departs after a 22-run knock from 7 balls. He has left his team within one shot of winning the match, but can the tailenders finish the job for the Strikers?

Cottoy is dismissed off the first ball of the 10th over. But then Sylvan Spencer gets back on strike and hits another six. And another four to follow after that! Spencer moves to 22 off 5 balls. That is a knock from a No 9 Lance Klusener would have been proud of. 

No 9 Sylvan Spencer has an immediate impact. Two sixes off consecutive balls takes the Strikers to needing 12 off the last over. He is not out on 12 off 3 balls, and the match has turned around again. Cottoy still not out on 8.

The wickets keep falling for the Strikers. Cottoy still out there, on 8, but nobody else can stick around for long, making what should have been an easy chase into a thrilling finish. 24 runs still needed to win off 10 balls. The Dark View Explorers are favourites to win now. O Jay Mathews takes 2 wickets in 2 balls to start off the 9th over.

Chelston Stowe plays a T10 innings the likes of which will be hard to find in the past and future of the 10-over game. He plays 10 dot balls and then is caught at long off. He is out for 0 off 11 balls. Cottoy, the skipper, still out there, with the Strikers still needing 27 to win, off 14 balls now.

The first match of the day is turning out to be a low-scoring humdinger. Scott falls cheaply today. Out for 1. Chelston Stowe comes in and plays out a maiden over as the required run rate climbs. Cottoy then decides he needs to get a move on and steps out to hit a four to end the seventh over. 27 needed in 3 overs

The chase is on course despite the Strikers top order failing to fire once again. Gidron Pope the highest scorer in the innings so far, with 9 runs. Deron Greaves accounting for the two other wickets with his spin, both Sealroy Williams and Kirton Lavia departing for 7. Cottoy and man-in-form Ronald Scott are in the middle for the Strikers, as they need 33 runs to win from the next 5 overs.