The President’s XI stepped into the line of fire and was mercilessly annihilated by the CARICOM All Stars who swept the two-match President’s Premier League Twenty20 Series at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on Saturday night with a 20-run win.
Scores in the match: CARICOM All Stars 164-9; President’s XI 144-9.
In the presence of a crowd of over 14,000 the ‘Gayle Force’ was fully unleashed terrifically supported by a destructive Darren Bravo innings of 44 from 22 balls which got the All Stars up to 164-9 after being sent in.
Chris Gayle’s rampant, yet entertaining innings of 75 from 59 balls sent thrills down the spines of the spectators all around the ground.
He hit five towering sixes and dispatched the bowling attack for four firm fours.
His display and a hat-trick from Mahendra Nagamootoo were the highlights of the evening’s proceedings.
Lendl Simmons (4), Xavier Marshall (7) and Dwayne Bravo (2) were dismissed early and, as was the case in the previous game, the President’s XI once again had the visiting team in trouble at the start of their innings.
Young Bravo then joined his skipper in the middle with the score 46- 3 and quickly got things moving lifting the run-rate and shifting the balance of the game.
Bravo made his intentions clear by clouting five sixes and only one four.
He and Gayle featured in an 87-run partnership in eight overs scoring at over 11 runs an over.
Bravo was eventually caught by Assad Fuddadin going for another boundary off Nagamootoo.
The All Stars lower order collapsed after Gayle was caught by Sewnarine Chattergoon on the long on boundary off Nagamootoo.
Nagamootoo ended with 5–14 from four overs which included one maiden.
In his last over, the final one of the innings, he removed four batsmen in the space of five balls.
After Gayle fell, Dinesh Ramdin (4) and Ravi Rampaul (0) were clean bowled while Kavon Cooper was lbw for a duck.
Nagamootoo was supported by Christopher Barnwell who grabbed 2 – 39 from four overs.
Cush removed the other Bravo (Dwayne).
At half-time a few of the All Stars players took to the stage and began entertaining the fans with a few lyrics which were much appreciated.
When the President’s XI batted, a strange batting order was devised by the “home boys” in their effort to purse the target and it did not take long before it proved disastrous.
Skipper, Ramnaresh Sarwan was removed for zero in the second over by Rampaul playing an expansive square cut only to be caught behind by wicketkeeper Ramdin with the score on three.
Fuddadin (12) got a good start as he did in the preceding match but his innings was halted by a straight delivery from Cooper that the left handed batsman tried to hoist over cover while Chattergoon stood firm for his 21 before being called for an impossible run.
Narsingh Deonarine, Barnwell, Esaun Crandon, Steven Jacobs and Nagamootoo were all removed for a total of 30 runs while Derwin Christian, batting at number four, top scored with 34.
His knock was laced with six fours before he was removed in Gayle’s entertaining one over where the West Indian captain discarded his customary off-spin efforts and bowled medium pace.
Lennox Cush and Devendra Bishoo were left not out on 20 and eight respectively.
Xavier Marshall bagged 3 – 22 and Dwayne Bravo 2 – 12.
Assad Fuddadin has his leg stumped rocked back by Kavon Cooper (not in picture) after missing a straight delivery he tried to dispatch to the boundary.
