Lendl Simmons played a dream innings to provide the perfect platform for Trinidad and Tobago Red Force to outplay Guyana Jaguars in the final of the CG Insurance Super50.
On a warm and calm Saturday night, captain Kieron Pollard had the honour of lifting the Sir Clive Lloyd trophy as his team accomplished the stated mission and showcased their dominance – winning all seven matches.
Simmons made a monumental 146 as the Red Force made a whopping 362-5 off their 50 overs. He hit 15 fours and seven sixes off 145 balls to register the highest score of this year’s tournament, as well as the highest score by a Trinidadian in the 46 years of the event – surpassing the 134 made by Denesh Ramdin in 2013. It was his second century of this year’s tournament and lifted the Trinis to their second-highest score of all time. He was named the CG Insurance Man-of-the-Match.
Such heroics left the Jaguars with a mammoth target and they fell well short, being bowled out for 210 off 43.5 overs. Left-hander Raymon Reifer played brilliantly to end on 97 not out, to follow up his 90 in the semi-final against the Windwards Volcanoes on Thursday night. Fast bowler Ravi Rampaul was again on song with 4-52 off his 10 overs, his second four-for in as many matches, and took him to his 100th List A wicket for Trinidad and Tobago.
Jayden Seales, the 19-year-old pacer brought into the match specifically unsettle the Guyanese, bowled with sustained pace and hostility to end with three wickets – two of which were caught on the leg-side as batsmen attempted hook shots.
Captain Pollard was full of praise for his team and said they were delighted to win all seven matches and take the title.
When Trinidad and Tobago batted, Simmons shared several big partnerships. He added 121 in just 19.1 overs with Evin Lewis (57) and 100 with Darren Bravo (47). After they fell, Simmons shared a third-wicket of 57 in four overs with Nicholas Pooran who entertained with 39 off 15 balls, including four sixes.
In Guyana Jaguars turn at the crease, they were totally blown away by Rampaul and Seales and were tottering at 55-6 at the end of the powerplay. Reifer offered strong rearguard action as he faced 112 balls and hit seven fours and three sixes. He shared a ninth-wicket stand of 71 with Gudakesh Motie (28) which took the score over the 200-mark.
But he was left just short of his maiden century when he exposed last man Nial Smith to a rampaging Seales who cleaned him up with the perfect Yorker, which capped off the perfect match in a perfect campaign.
Jos Buttler hits half-century as Lancashire return to winning ways in the Blast
England captain Jos Buttler struck a fine half-century to help Lancashire beat Vitality Blast North Group leaders Worcestershire by four wickets in Blackpool.
Opener Buttler hit 58 off 42 balls to record only his second fifty in 14 T20 innings as the hosts successfully chased down 178 at Stanley Park.
Steven Croft had been run out for 40 after he and Buttler fell in the space of three balls during the 15th over, but New Zealand all-rounder Daryl Mitchell hit a rapid 33 to end Lancashire’s four-game losing streak.
Worcestershire – who lost for the just the second time – had posted 177 for nine, with Adam Hose making 42 and Mitchell Santner a swift 57 as Mitchell took three for nine from his two overs.
In the South Group, leaders Somerset suffered a first defeat as Hampshire secured a five-run win at the Ageas Bowl.
Nathan Ellis produced two stunning death overs as Hampshire made it four wins on the bounce after James Vince hit 50 and an unbeaten 59 from Joe Weatherley helped the hosts post 178 for four.
In reply, Will Smeed cracked an exciting 52, with seven boundaries, and Tom Kohler-Cadmore made 43 to seemingly keep Somerset on track.
But Australian quick Ellis helped close out victory with some fine tight bowling in the 17th and 19th overs as Hampshire moved up to third.
A hat-trick from Sam Cook helped Essex beat Kent by four wickets in Canterbury.
Cook – who claimed four wickets in Tuesday’s home win over Sussex – struck in the fifth over, removing Tawanda Muyeye (10) swiftly followed by having Sam Billings caught behind and then trapping Jordan Cox lbw.
Kent recovered from 35 for four to post 150 for eight, with Joe Denly (39) a fourth wicket for Cook and Grant Stewart hitting four sixes in his 37 off 16.
After Essex openers Feroze Khushi and Dan Lawrence both fell for ducks in reply, Matt Critchley’s unbeaten 63 saw them home as Kent suffered a fifth consecutive Blast defeat.
An unbeaten half-century from Derbyshire captain Leus Du Plooy pushed the Falcons on to a six-wicket win over Birmingham at Edgbaston.
The hosts had posted 203 for seven, built on 79 not out from Sam Hain as Mattie McKiernan took three for 39 from his four overs.
Derbyshire – who had won just two Blast games so far – set about what was a club-record run chase through openers Luis Reece (57) and Haider Ali (48).
Du Plooy then came in to plunder an unbeaten 66 from just 25 balls – with five sixes and four boundaries – to see the Falcons home.
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At Sophia Gardens, Laurie Evans struck a magnificent 118 off 60 balls – including 12 boundaries and half-a-dozen sixes – as Surrey closed out a 65-run win over Glamorgan.
Sam Curran (66) and Will Jacks (46) were also among the runs as Surrey set their hosts a victory target of 237.
Glamorgan, though, could only reach 171 for eight, with opener Sam Northeast having made 76 while all-rounder Dan Douthwaite was unable to bat because of injury.
Jos Buttler believes Moeen Ali will thrive on return to England’s Test side
England one-day captain Jos Buttler has predicted Moeen Ali will be a perfect fit when he joins up with Ben Stokes’ Ashes squad ahead of the first Test against Australia at Edgbaston.
Moeen, who has not played an international Test for nearly two years having previously announced his retirement from red-ball cricket, was called in this week as a replacement for first-choice spinner Jack Leach after he was ruled out with a stress fracture to his back.
England did have other options, including 18-year-old Rehan Ahmed, who became England’s youngest Test cricketer when he debuted in Karachi in December, and Surrey’s Will Jacks but none with the experience and credentials of Moeen.
He has 64 Test caps, 195 wickets and the small matter of five Test centuries. With Jonny Bairstow slotting back into the side at number seven following his return from a broken leg, Moeen is likely to bat at eight and give the home side a seriously dangerous lower order.
Buttler, who featured in England’s unsuccessful bid to regain the Ashes in Australia in 2021-22, said he believed ‘Bazball’ would suit the 35-year-old’s game.
“I’m excited for him,” said Buttler. “I think he will fit in perfectly to what Ben and Brendon (head coach McCullum)have brought to the England team. I’m sure he sees it as a bit of a free hit really.
“He’s coming back into what is an incredibly successful team at the moment, a fantastic culture and an environment that suits him brilliantly. Why not give it a crack?
“We know what a fantastic bowler he’s been over a long period of time. Not just that, the runs he can score as well. I’m quite intrigued to see Mo play Bazball. I think it will suit him nicely.
“Mo’s been a crucial part of England Cricket for a very long time. He’s played a lot of Test Matches, and he’s my right-hand man in the white ball set-up. He’s a crucial guy to have in the dressing room.”
The 35-year-old was invited to join the squad at the start of the week and, after taking a couple of days to ponder his decision, has now agreed to link up with the team.
The Ashes begins at Moeen’s home ground of Edgbaston on July 16, with the all-rounder due to turn 36 on day three.
Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, was involved in discussions alongside head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes and explained: “We reached out to Mo early this week about returning to Test cricket. Having had a couple of days to reflect, Mo is excited to join the squad and play Test cricket again.
“His vast experience, along with his all-round ability, will benefit our Ashes campaign. We wish Mo and the rest of the squad well for the Ashes campaign.”
Travis Head says attention on star man Steve Smith helped him excel
Travis Head felt the presence of Steve Smith allowed him to “sneak under the radar” as he cracked a wonderful century on day one of the World Test Championship final against India.
With 30 centuries, 8,792 runs and an average of just under 60, Smith is always a prize target whenever he steps on to the field.
But while he reasserted his class with a thoroughly composed innings of 95 not out at the Oval, it was Head who took centre stage with a dashing 146 not out.
Australia ended the day in charge of the showpiece on 327 for three, a huge position of strength given Head arrived at 76 for three.
Speaking after an unbroken stand of 251 with Smith, Head said: “We don’t talk too much out there but I do really enjoy batting with Steve, because of how much attention he receives in terms of the bowler’s plans.
“Whenever I bat with him I always feel like I’m in the shadows, that you can sneak under the radar and go about your business because he draws so much attention.
“I felt like that again today, I knew he wasn’t going to go anywhere once he got in that rhythm.
“He loves batting over here and he’s unbelievable in these conditions. We’re completely different but the partnership works really nicely.”
Head’s sixth Test hundred was a bruising affair, comprising 22 fours and a six, but it was most notable for being his first away from Australia.
With an Ashes series coming hot on the heels of the WTC final, he could hardly have timed the landmark better having been dismissed for 90 in Ahmedabad in March.
“It’s a nice feather in the cap, I’ll look back in the future on a nice little moment,” he said.
“I missed the chance in India a couple of months ago, but it doesn’t bother me too much. I just want to contribute and play well, if that’s a hundred great, but it doesn’t faze me in the slightest.
“This week is hugely important to us for the last two years of hard work but as we move to the Ashes if it’s a low scoring series I just want to contribute, even if that doesn’t mean hundreds.
“All you can do is be around your peers, see what they’re doing and try to excel. We’ll see where that leads us in the next six weeks.”
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