POINTE-A-PIERRE, Trinidad, CMC – Clarke Road opened the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) Twenty20 Club Champions League with an exciting 2-1 bowl out win over Antigua in Group B on Saturday night after Merryboys held on for a tense five-run victory over Preysal at Guaracara Park.
Clarke Road and Antigua needed the bowl out, the first in the WIPA Twenty20 tournament, to decide a winner after heavy rainfall forced the match to be abandoned.
Antigua were on 22 for two chasing Clarke Road’s challenging total of 159 for six for victory before rain brought play to a premature end.
Veteran Mukesh Persad and all-rounder Mahadeo Moonasar both hit the stumps for Clarke Road with Antigua captain Wilden Cornwall the sole player to hit the wicket as the Penal based club clinched a tense victory.
Earlier, Guyanese Homchand Pooran who kept up a brisk scoring rate after opening batsmen Adrian Barath (21) and the Barbadian Martin Nurse (20) had given Clarke Road a good platform, smashed 77 runs from 52 balls with six fours and two sixes in Clarke Road’s total.
Antigua chasing were in early trouble with left arm pacer Deighton Butler taking two wickets in the first over.
The Windward Islands left arm pacer struck with his second and third deliveries having Austin Richards caught by wicket-keeper Nurse and Orlando Peters bowled, both without scoring.
Heavy rainfall then brought the match to a premature end with Butler finishing with figures of two for 11.
In the evening’s other game, Merryboys scored 168 for eight off 20 overs with Mario Belcon (39), Guyana’s Esaun Crandon, 38 off 18 balls, and Barbadian Alcindo Holder (30) leading the way against Andre Brown (4-28) and Shazam Babwah (3-28).
Preysal replied with 163 for five off their 20 overs with former West Indies fast bowler Mervyn Dillon blasting a rapid 30, supported by Andy Jackson (30) and Babwah (26).
Guyana’s national T20 champions Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) which is being led by discarded national wicketkeeper Derwin Christian and includes Guyana/Stanford Superstar Travis Dowlin and West Indies limited overs player Leon Johnson, goes into action for the first time tonight against Merryboys from 2000hrs.
