Stoute, Primus shine but Pooran steals show

PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad, CMC – Barbados Pride all-rounder Kevin Stoute and fellow countryman Roshon Primus played key roles for Alescon Comets but their efforts were in vain as Queen’s Park battled their way to a three-wicket win in the final of the NGC Group T20 Festival here Friday night.

Kevin Stoute
Kevin Stoute

The right-handed Stoute stroked a top score of 43 as Comets tallied 143 for six off their 20 overs at the National Cricket Centre but the exciting Nicholas Pooran dug Queen’s Park out of trouble at 43 for six with a superb unbeaten 56, to see his side home with three balls to spare.

Primus, who claimed four for 23 overall, had rattled Queen’s Park with blistering pace, snatching four early wickets for just ten runs in a torrid opening spell.

Nicholas Pooran
Nicholas Pooran

Generating pace and bounce, Primus accounted for the prized wickets of captain Justin Guillen for ten trying to fend off a short delivery and Test batsman Darren Bravo, also for ten, gloving another lifting ball to second slip.

However, Queen’s Park rallied through the left-handed Pooran who pounded five fours and two sixes off 40 deliveries, in a 66-run seventh wicket stand with Khary Pierre who made 30 off 31 balls balls.

When Pierre was run out, Barbadian Javon Searles arrived to slam an unbeaten 20 and formalize the result.

Earlier, Stoute had pioneered the Comets innings, striking five fours and a six off 41 deliveries.

He built on the foundation laid by the Trinidad and Tobago Red Force pair of Imran Khan who struck 39 off 30 balls and Steven Katwaroo who made 30 off 27 deliveries, as they added 65 for the first wicket.