England overpower Aussies to lift The Big Man Cricket O60s Caribbean Cup

Feb 16, 2023 Sports

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The Big Man Cricket in association with Blue Waters & Barbados Tourism Marketing INC 

– West Indies finish 3rd place

Kaieteur News – The BMC Caribbean Cup concluded on Friday after the grand finals was played on Friday at the Mecca of cricket in the Caribbean- Kensington Oval where the Englishmen got the better of the Aussies in a very dominant performance. West Indies overcame Rest of the World in a rain affected game whilst USA turned the tables on the Americas Invitational XI at the BNOC ground to finish in 5th place.

5th v 6^th Place Playoff Match at BNOC Sports Club – In the USA v Americas Invitational XI, the USA team recorded their first victory in the tournament when they easily demolished their opposition. The Invitational XI won the toss and elected to bowl. The USA rattled up a formidable 180 for 5 off their allotted overs with Syed Naqvi top scoring with an undefeated 64 laced with 8 boundaries and a maximum whilst opener Chandradat Barlingay contributed 27 with 2 boundaries, Michael Griffin had an unbeaten 22, Ravi Suri made 18 and Kumar Patel had 10.  Extras contributed a very healthy 37 in a very indifferent performance by the Invitational XI. Glenfield Griffith had 2 for 17.

In their turn at the crease the Invitational XI seemed to have tuned out of the game after a few rain interruptions to close on 69 for 9 off their 28 overs. Extras top scored with 19 and only wicketkeeper Fazil

Jahoor reached double figures, 12.   Michael Griffin was the architect of the Invitational XI with 5 for 27.

3rd v 4th Place Playoff Match at the Four-Square Oval-Pickwick CC – West Indies won the toss and elected to bat on a very placid wicket. The Windies batted superbly to post their 3rd double century total of the tournament with 202 for 2 off their allotted 45 overs. The openers started very sedately and put on a 91 run partnership before Keith Lawrence went stumped for a well-played 38 with 3 boundaries trying to step up the pace. Wilbur Bruce, the father of former West Indian all-rounder Dwayne Smith, did not last very long in the crease and departed with the score on 94. Thereafter, the captain joined opener George Harris who was by then in full flow and timing the ball perfectly. The pair put on a healthy unbroken partnership of 108 in 16.2 overs. George Harris completed his 2nd century of the tournament – 105 peppered with 8 boundaries, whilst Captain Roy Singh finished on 43 off 47 deliveries without a boundary.

Rest of the World needed to beat West Indies to grab a consolation 3rd place and started off very well before losing Gary Whitaker in the 5th over with 24 runs on the board. The rain intervened with the ROW nicely poised at 71 for 1 to chase down the runs but they lost 3 quick wickets after the resumption to be 83 for 4 after 19.1 overs when a heavier shower came and closed off the proceedings.  Two of the wickets fell to the run-out route. Anthony Bennett top scored with 36 with 2 boundaries and David Robinson made 17.

West Indies finished on 3rd place whilst ROW finished on 4th place.

Grand Finale at the Kensington Oval – England won the toss and elected to take first strike in awesome conditions at the Oval. Obviously, they preferred working with the scoreboard pressure against the Aussies and backing their spin quartet to do the job. The Pommies posted a solid 238 for 9 off their allotted 45 overs with great contributions from their premier batters – Edward Gordon-Lennox 74 with 5 boundaries and 6 maximums; Kevin Grant with 54 and 8 boundaries; Neil Braithwaite with 34 with 3 boundaries; Jason Grant with 18 and Captain Richard Merriman with 13 and 2 boundaries. Peter Dudderidge claimed 2 for 31 and Mike Riley took 2 for 32 for the Aussies.

The Aussies had a decent start of 43 in 11.3 overs before they lost Peter O’Reilly for 21 with 4 boundaries. Thereafter the Englishmen took wickets at regular intervals to finally dismiss them for 168. Captain Eric Higgins top scored with 53 (4 boundaries); ably supported by Glen Richardson on 40, Peter Dudderidge with 12 and Claude Orlando with 11. Chris Dearden was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 23; John Butterworth 3 for 36 and Jim Phillips 3 for 38 did the damage for the Englishmen.

George Harris from the West Indies copped the Best Batsman and the Player of the Series awards. Mike Riley from Australia was the Best Bowler for the tournament whilst John Goldthorp from England won the Best Fielder award.

England came out as the champions with the Aussies as the runners up. England received the Big Man Cricket O60s Caribbean Cup from West Indies Legend, Sir Gordon Greenidge.

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• Barbados Tourism Marketing INC, Blue Waters, BMC Caribbean Cup, Chris Dearden, Claude Orlando

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