Members of the Fairfield United take a celebratory victory lap around the Chedwin Park cricket ground after securing a 30-run win over Links United in the SDC National Community T20 finals.
Defending champions Fairfield United retained the SDC National Community T20 Cricket title in a low scoring final against Links United at Chedwin Park on Sunday, August 25th.
After losing the toss and being invited to bat, Fairfield United managed only 147 runs when their innings came to an end with 3 balls remaining in the innings. However, the reigning champions were not prepared to go down without a fight and managed to restrict Links United to 117 all out to win by 30 runs and take the trophy back to Manchester for the third time overall.
Leighton Leslie, player and manager of Fairfield United said that his team was never worried about retaining their title despite putting less than their targeted total on the board.
“We had a target in mind of 180, however we fell short. But as usual, we back our bowling. We have one of the better bowling (attacks) in this complete competition and after getting the 147, we knew that we were going to defend it. If they were going to get it, they would have to go to the last ball. So, at no point we were fretting or worried about the total that we got,” he said.
Leslie noted that the team had to overcome early season difficulties from which they learned as the season progressed.
“We had a rough start in this competition. We almost didn’t make it to the parish stages, but we got a lifeline and from there on, we have just been playing more disciplined cricket,” he noted.
Leslie hinted at continued success for Fairfield United based on the composition of his squad.
“We have a lot of youngsters in our programme. We have a good crop of youngsters coming up.”
He was also impressed with the preparation of the grounds for the finals, thanks in part to sponsors such as Wray & Nephew.
“When I came to the cricket ground and looked at it closely, I must say it is at international standard. I must say this competition is well put together and it’s a joy to win it back-to-back.
During their time at bat, Jamaine Morgan got Fairfield off to a flier but fell to the penultimate ball of the second over with the score at 20/1, amassing 15 runs off 10 deliveries.
A second wicket stand of 37 runs between Javed Williams and Zidane Gordon pushed the score along to 57 in the 8th over before Gordon departed for a quick fire 25 off 20 deliveries. Williams was next to go at 65/3 in the 9th over as the Links United skipper captured two wickets for 35 runs from his spell of four overs.
Fairfield tried to push the score along, but Tevin Gilzene stymied the run chase as the chief wicket taker for Links United put the brakes on the defending champions when he snapped up the next five wickets to fall in the middle overs to end with figures of 5 for 19 off his 4 overs.
Roshawn McKenzie was the only batsman of the last four wickets to get into double figures as he made 16 runs from 13 deliveries before he went caught off the bowling of Amoi Campbell.
Links United got off to the worst possible start in their quest for 148 runs to win when they lost their first wicket off the third ball of the innings with the score at 4/1. Damion Bryce returned to the pavilion, caught by Jamaine Morgan off the bowling of Romario Marshall.
Tevin Gilzene, who had been magical with the ball, tried to replicate the performance with the bat, but he went for 19 runs, of 8 deliveries at 39/2 in the 4th over.
Things were still within reach for Links at that stage, but a steady stream of wickets from the 4th to the 7th over, saw them slip from 39/2 to 64/6 due to injudicious shots from the batsmen coupled with good fielding from the defending champions.
A brief recovery saw Links get beyond the 100-run mark for the loss of just one more wicket, but two wickets in two balls to end the 13th over and start the 14th over saw them reduced to 106/9 which left the defending champions on the verge of a repeat victory.
Roshawn McKenzie then completed the final rites when he bowled Nashawn Campbell for 4 runs with the second ball of the 16th over to leave Links United all out for 117 runs. McKenzie ended with figures of 2 wickets for 10 runs from 2.2 overs while Richard Thomas with 4 for 17 from 4 overs was the pick of the bowlers for Fairfield.
Kerry-Ann Bryan, Brand Manager of Wray & Nephew White Overproof Rum could not hide her excitement after watching an engaging and exciting final.
“It’s been a pleasure to be here with you at Chedwin Park, where we come together to celebrate not just a game but a tradition that runs deep in the heart of our nation. Cricket, like Wray & Nephew, has a longstanding tradition in Jamaica and it is synonymous with passion. It’s not just a sport; it’s a way of life. A good cricketer plays with heart, not just skill, bringing a level of energy and enthusiasm that inspires everyone around them,” Bryan remarked.
“The game isn’t for individual glory; it’s about teamwork and community. A good cricketer knows that the success of the team comes first. They play for something bigger than themselves, representing their community, their culture, and their shared values,” she continued.
Earlier in the afternoon, Angel’s defeated Bushy Park by eight wickets to win the Masters title.
West Indies Academy secures first win of the season with 22-run DLS method victory over CCC
The West Indies Academy recorded their first win of the 2024 CG United Super50 Cup season with a 22-run DLS method win over the Combined Campuses and Colleges at the Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground in St. Augustine on Monday.
CCC, who were also seeking their first win of the season, were first dismissed for 174 in 39.5 overs after winning the toss and batting first.
Experienced opener Kieran Powell top scored with 46 off 42 balls including eight fours while Shaqkere Parris made 40 and Johann Jeremiah hit 33.
Jediah Blades continued his good form with the ball this season with 3-23 from six overs and was well supported by Zishan Motara who took 3-31 from his 10 overs.
Joshua Bishop also bowled well with 2-25 from 6.5 overs.
In reply, the Academy were 167-7 off 40.5 overs, 22 runs ahead of the DLS par score when the rain brought an end to proceedings.
Andrew Rambaran and Johann Layne put together a crucial eighth wicket partnership, helping the Academy recover from 118-7 in the 29th over.
Rambaran finished 37* while Layne finished 25* off 28 balls including two fours and two sixes.
Earlier, Rivaldo Clarke top scored with 38. Romario Greaves was excellent with the ball for the CCC with 5-45 from his 10 overs while the other two wickets were split between Akeem Jordan and Abhijai Mansingh.
Full Scores:
Combined Campuses and Colleges 174 off 39.5 overs (Kieran Powell 46, Shaqkere Parris 40, Johann Jeremiah 33, Jediah Blades 3-23, Zishan Motara 3-31, Joshua Bishop 2-25)
West Indies Academy 167-7 off 40.5 overs (Rivaldo Clarke 38, Andrew Rambaran 37*, Johann Layne 25*, Romario Greaves 5-45).
Molineux stars with 64 as Melbourne Renegades Women win second match in a row
Hayley Matthews and Deandra Dottin’s Melbourne Renegades Women got their second win in a row in the Women’s Big Bash League thanks to a brilliant batting display from captain Sophie Molineux against Adelaide Strikers Women at the Junction Oval in Melbourne on Sunday.
The Renegades, chasing 158 for victory, found themselves 52-5 in the ninth over when Molineux came to the crease to join Dottin.
The pair put on a crucial 79 runs before Dottin fell for 20. Seven runs later, Molineux fell for a match-winning 32-ball 64 including nine fours and three sixes.
Eventually needing six runs off the final over, Nicole Faltum and Sarah Coyte guided the Renegades to victory.
Darcie Brown, Amanda-Jade Wellington and Jemma Barsby took two wickets, each, for the Strikers in their efforts to defend what looked like a match-winning total.
Earlier, captain Talia McGrath led the way with 64 off 44 balls including eight fours and a six while Orla Prendergast supported well with 31 as the Strikers made 157-5 from their 20 overs after winning the toss.
Molineux took 2-39 from her four overs while Georgia Wareham and Alice Capsey split two wickets. Matthews and Dottin when wicketless in seven overs between them.
Australia recover from middle-order collapse to win Pakistan opener
Australia rallied to overcome Pakistan by two wickets in the first of three one-day internationals between the teams at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Roared on by vocal travelling support, Pakistan were in the ascendency when their pacemen dropped Australia from 113-2 to 115-7, with the hosts chasing 204 for victory.
Harif Rauf dismissed three while Shaheen Shah Afridi and Mohammad Hasnain also got in on the act to decimate the hosts' middle order.
Naseem Shah had earlier scored 40 off 39 balls to salvage a score of 203 all out for the tourists, but a crucial cameo from captain Pat Cummins got Australia over the line.
Cummins calmly came up with an unbeaten 32 from 31 balls as the hosts sealed victory with 16.3 overs remaining, with even Sean Abbott's error in being run out for 13 failing to inspire a change in the momentum.
Bowler Mitchell Starc told ABC Grandstand after the match: "We probably didn't like that Patty and I had pads on, but it's a positive start to the summer.
"A win is a win no matter how you get there."
Data Debrief: Cummins leads from the front
Cummins' unbeaten 32 may not go down as his most memorable knock in ODIs, but it did equal his best innings for Australia in the format.
That proved crucial after Matthew Short (1), Jake Fraser-McGurk (16), Marnus Labuschagne (16), Aaron Hardie (10) and Glenn Maxwell (0) disappointed with the bat.
Australia, who have won both of their ODI series versus West Indies and England since lifting the World Cup in 2023, can now seal a series triumph in Adelaide on Friday.
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