KING CITY, Ont. – Match-winning innings by Babar Hayat and Fabian Allen propelled Vancouver Knights and Cricket West Indies B Team to victories on Canada Day over Winnipeg Hawks and Edmonton Royals, respectively, on day four of Global T20 Canada action at Maple Leaf Cricket Club.
Winnipeg won its opening encounter by 48 runs after posting a total of 203 runs against Montreal Tigers.
However in today’s opening game the Hawks’s ability to repeat this score was immediately compromised when Australian star David Warner (4) fell cheaply for the second game in a row, caught at point off the bowling of left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cottrell.
After Warner’s early loss, Winnipeg’s innings never got going as they kept losing wickets with the introduction of Australian leg-spinner Fawad Ahmed, who clinched three of the next four wickets as the Hawks slumped to 58/5 in the 12th over.
Ahmed’s wickets included Lendl Simmons (24) caught on the boundary, Ben McDermott (8) bowled attempted a sweep shot and David Miller leg-before wicket.
Andre Russell clinched the other wicket to fall, that of his West Indian teammate Darren Bravo caught by wicket-keeper Chadwick Walton.
Bravo (30), the captain, and Tion Webster shared in a 44-run sixth wicket partnership taking the score to 112 in 17th over, before he was dismissed by New Zealand quick Tim Southee.
Webster (49) stayed unbeaten until the end of the innings as Winnipeg posted a respectable score on a pitch that was giving the bowlers assistance, considering it was used for the first time in the tournament.
American fast bowler Ali Khan gave the Knights a scare claiming the big wickets of Chris Gayle without scoring and Chadwick Walton (13) cheaply. Evin Lewis (9) also departed early as Vancouver found themselves precariously placed on 39/3 in the in the sixth over.
However Vancouver’s nerves were eased with a 97-run fourth-wicket partnership with Hong Kong captain Babar Hayat (65) and South African Rassie Van der Dussen (39), before Andre Russell’s (21) quick-fire innings, guided them to victory with two overs still remaining.
Summary Result: Vancouver Knights 162/4 in 17.4 overs (Babar Hayat 65, Rassie van der Dussen 39; Ali Khan 2-25) defeats Winnipeg Hawks 156/9 in 20 overs (Tion Webster 49, Dwayne Bravo 30; Sheldon Cottrell 3-28, Fawad Ahmed 3-33) by six wickets.
Match 6: Edmonton Royals vs. Cricket West Indies B
KING CITY, Ont. – All-rounder Fabian Allen’s blistering innings of 75 and a four-wicket haul by left-arm paceman Odean McCoy propelled Cricket West Indies B Team to their come-from-behind victory over Edmonton Royals.
Edmonton lost wicket at regular intervals and never built any innings momentum slipping to 67/5 in the 12thj over, due to a combination of tight bowling and excellent catching by the Caribbean boys led by McCoy, whose figures are the best of Global T20 Canada so far.
He was supported by left-arm spinner Kavem Hodge (4-0-18-2) and medium-pacer Sherfane Rutherford (3-0-25-2) and three outfield catches by Allen.
Only during the 68-run sixth wicket partnership between Irishman Kevin O’Brien (49) and South African Farhaan Behardien (29), did Edmonton put up any batting resistance.
At the halfway stage, the Edmonton experienced bowling attack led by former Pakistan and South African internationals Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Irfan and Wayne Parnell presented a sturdy batting challenge for Cricket West Indies B Team.
When Brandon King (5) and Nicholas Pooran (13), who scored half centuries in the win for Cricket West Indies B Team on Saturday against Montreal Tigers, were dismissed for paltry scores, the team looked set to be defeated with the score on 66/6 in the ninth over.
But Allen, who was made famous in 2017 during the Caribbean Premier League for taking a catch that made worldwide highlight reels, had other ideas as he produced the performance of the tournament.
The all-rounder struck his half century in 17 balls, which was the fastest of the tournament and included eight towering sixes.
Action continues Monday beginning with a showdown between Australia teammates Steve Smith and David Warner as Toronto Nationals take on Winnipeg in the first match. In the second game, winless Montreal Tigers look for their first victory against Vancouver.
Summary Result: Cricket West Indies B Team 159/7 in 18 overs (Fabian Allen 75 not out; Hassan Khan 3-32) defeats Edmonton Royals 155/9 in 19.4 (Kevin O’Brein 49; Odean McCoy 4-22, Kavem Hodge 2-18, Sherfane Rutherford 2-25) by three wickets.