Thursday, November 22, 2007

WE SPORTS - Jamaicans are new title holders in KFC Cricket Cup

by Shami Maharaj



Jamaica unseated Trinidad and Tobago as KFC Cup champions in Cave Hill, Barbados with a thrilling 28 run victory for their first regional title in 8 years

Seeking their third one-day crown in four years, T&T skipper Daren Ganga, sent in to bat his counterpart Chris Gayle, in the first day/night tilt to be played at the 3Ws Oval. The Jamaicans saw their fortunes sway back and forth during their inning, ending with a testing total of 230 all out in the allotted fifty overs, after being in trouble at 3 for 36, and 7 for 167.

Brenton Parchment top-scored for Jamaica with 52 while Danza Hyatt and Carlton Baugh contributed 28 and 25 respectively. Of the Trini bowlers, Sherwin Ganga picked up three wickets at a cost of 31 runs, while Samuel Badree’s three cost him 37.

In reply Trinidad and Tobago got to 202 before running out of wickets. Lendl Simmons stroked a match high 64, with 48 offered by Denesh Ramdin, and 27 by Kieron Pollard. West Indies opening batsman Gayle picked up a useful 3 for 32 in the wet conditions, while Jerome Taylor bagged 3-37 including the prized scalp of captain Ganga. With his useful late inning knock of 18, Taylor copped the Man-of-the-Match award.

Jamaica got into the final as a result of defeating Guyana by 7 wickets in a game which saw Australian born Brendan Nash starring for the Jamaicans. In the other semi-final, the Bajan home crowd was cheated of the opportunity to see their team battle in the final when the match was abandoned due to rain, thereby putting Trinidad through by virtue of a better run-rate. Both Jamaica and T&T entered the final unbeaten in the tournament.

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