Barbados Royals women and Saint Kitts & Nevis Patriots men were crowned champions in the inaugural SKYEXCH 6IXTY after two thrilling matches at Warner Park.
The Universe Boss, Chris Gayle, lifted his own trophy as the Patriots won the inaugural men’s SKYEXCH 6IXTY. In the poetry of cricket, Gayle was dropped twice in one over before he hit the winning runs to see his team over the line. You couldn’t have scripted it better. It was written in the stars.
When put in to bat in the men’s final the Trinbago Knight Riders had a tricky start to their innings losing two early wickets and finding themselves 6/2 after just nine balls. Sunil Narine, who had batted so brilliantly in the semi-final, was dismissed without scoring before some incredible wicket-keeping from Da Silva saw the back of Tion Webster.
Andre Russell looked to be the difference and was striking the ball well, but a stunning piece of fielding put an end to his efforts before Terrance Hinds and Seekkuge Prasanna were both sent packing. Resistance in the form of an unbeaten 37 from Tim Seifert meant the Patriots needed 85 to win.
The chase started with gusto from the Patriots who unlocked the extra Powerplay for the first time in the tournament and they raced to 43/0 after just 20 balls. Russell made the initial breakthrough bowling Lewis for 21 and Narine made light work of Dewald Brevis who went without scoring. But the excitement really started when the Universe Boss strolled out to bat.
With a trophy named after him and eternal bragging rights on the line, he came out with his usual intent and went aerial. This always has its dangers and with just 13 needed from 12 the ball found Jayden Seales, who dropped him before just two balls later he was also dropped by Anderson Phillip.
With seven needed off the final over, Gayle and Fletcher rotated strike until, with four required, it was the man after whom the trophy was named to face. In his usual style, he swung hard and found the boundary on the onside. As the ball raced away for four, the Patriots were already celebrating, and Gayle’s wry smile was just an indication of what it meant to win the inaugural title and lift a trophy named after him.
Shakera Selman produced a magical spell to stun the Trinbago Knight Riders women and help her team become the first to lift the women’s Universe Boss SKYEXCH 6IXTY trophy. With the Knight Riders already on the ropes, Selman claimed three wickets in the penultimate over to clean up the Knight Riders’ batters and ensure a 15-run victory.
Batting first, Royals’ openers captain Hayley Matthews and Aaliyah Alleyne set the foundations before Matthews fell for 15. Their troubles continued when the in-form Chloe Tryon was stumped without adding to the score and Alleyne not long after, both thanks to the bowling brilliance from Anisa Mohammed in the middle overs.
Chinelle Henry put up resistance with her 15 and the batting side reached 64 before Cooper was stumped for 6 and the Royals were all out 65 off 56 balls. It had been an all-round effort in the field by the Knight Riders and with the Deandra Dottin opening the batting and in fine form, they looked confident as they came out to chase the runs in pursuit of the title.
When Lee-Ann Kirby fell in the first over it was clear the chase would not be easy. Then in a shock twist, Dottin chopped onto her own stumps in the same over and suddenly the Knight Riders were 13/2 at the end of the second. The Royals continued to keep a lid on the run chase and remained disciplined in their bowling.
The boundaries dried up and there was a spell of 37 balls before the ball found the rope. The game was in the balance with the batting side needing 19 from 12 and it looked like a nailbiter was brewing. However, it was here that Selman produced her incredible over claiming Jensen caught by Matthews for 7 before Luus was caught at mid-off and Kycia Knight was caught by Joseph to seal the victory.
The Barbados Royals has secured the title in the inaugural women's SKYEXCH 6IXTY and the party could begin.
Earlier in the day, four men’s teams had taken to the field across the two semi-finals. The first of the day saw St Kitts & Nevis Patriots get the better of the Jamaica Tallawahs as they made history with the highest successful run chase of the tournament. The game also saw the Universe Boss Chris Gayle launch his first SKYEXCH maximum of the tournament to raucous cheers from the partying crowd.
In semi-final two the Barbados Royals came flying out of the traps much due to the rockets being launched off the bat of Rakheem Cornwall. But when he was dismissed the run-rate slowed and the Royals could only manage 101/5 from their 60 balls. TKR raced to 43/1 after Sunil Narine was dismissed for 31 but Tion Webster batted well for his 27 which helped put a dent in the chase. In the end, it was a huge six from the bat of Hinds that saw them into the final winning by three wickets with eight balls remaining.
It truly was a ground-breaking tournament full of all the thrills and spills and everything in between and what better way for it to finish than with the image of the Universe Boss lifting the Universe Boss Trophy.
St Kitts and Nevis Patriots will face the Trinbago Knight Riders in the final of the inaugural 6IXTY Men’s competition following victories over the Jamaica Tallawahs and Barbados Royals, respectively at Warner Park in St Kitts on Sunday.
All-rounder Andre Russell put on a six-hitting clinic to help the Trinbago Knight Riders beat the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots by just three runs in the SKYEXCH 6IXTY in St. Kitts on Saturday.
Russell smashed 72 off just 24 balls including five fours and eight sixes, even hitting six in a row at one point, to help the Knight Riders post 155-5 from their 10 overs after the Patriots won the toss and elected to field first.
Openers Tim Seifert and Tion Webster also contributed 22 each off 13 and 10 balls, respectively. Pacer Jeremiah Louis took 1-21 from his two overs.
The Patriots were equally destructive in their turn at the crease, finishing 152-4 off their 10 overs, narrowly missing out on victory.
Sherfane Rutherford was in fine form, smashing a 15-ball 50 including one four and seven sixes. Dominic Drakes also produced some late-order hitting with 33 not out off just 10 balls including two fours and four sixes.
Anderson Phillip was brilliant with the ball with 3-17 from his two overs.
Between them, the teams scored 306 runs and hit 30 sixes, the most ever in a 10 overs per side fixture.
Both teams advanced to Sunday’s semi-finals alongside the Jamaica Tallawahs and Barbados Royals. In the semis, the Tallawahs will play the Patriots while the Knight Riders will oppose the Royals. The final will also take place on Sunday.
In the Women’s edition, The Barbados Royals booked a spot in Sunday’s final against the Trinbago Knight Riders by defeating the Guyana Amazon Warriors by five wickets.
The Amazon Warriors were held to just 58 all out in 9.5 overs after winning the toss and electing to bat first. Captain Stafanie Taylor top scored with 28 while Royals captain Hayley Matthews took 1-11 from her two overs.
Matthews (25 not out) and South African Chloe Tryon (27 not out) then combined to steer the Royals to a successful chase, reaching 59-1 off 7.3 overs.
The Barbados Royals secured a spot in the semi-finals of the SKYEXCH 6IXTY on Saturday with a two-wicket win over the Guyana Amazon Warriors at Warner Park in St. Kitts.
The Royals won the toss and elected to field first and that decision looked genius after they restricted the Amazon Warriors to 36-3 in the fourth over.
The Amazon Warriors overcame that slow start, however, to post 108 all out off their 10 overs thanks to a crucial 32 off 18 balls including two fours and two sixes from skipper Shimron Hetmyer.
South African Heinrich Klaasen also provided good support with 24 against a commendable 2-9 off two overs from left-arm pacer Ramon Simmonds.
In the chase, captain Kyle Mayers smashed 30 from 16 balls including four sixes while his opening partner Rakheem Cornwall smashed an eight-ball 21 including two fours and two sixes to set the tone for the Royals.
All-rounder Corbin Bosch then continued his good form with the bat with 26 not out to lead a successful chase with the Royals finishing 111-4 off 8.2 overs.
Veerasammy Permaul was excellent with the ball for the Amazon Warriors with 2-12 from his two overs.
The St. Lucia Kings got their first win of the SKYEXCH 6IXTY with an eight-run triumph over the Jamaica Tallawahs at Warner Park in St. Kitts on Saturday.
The Kings took first strike after the Tallawahs won the toss and elected to field first, making 109-5 from their 10 overs thanks to a 25-ball 48 from Roshon Primus and 32 from Johnson Charles.
Joshua James took 2-25 from his two overs for the Tallawahs.
Despite fighting innings from Amir Jangoo (44) and captain Rovman Powell (34), the Tallawahs fell narrowly short of their target finishing 101-4 off their 10 overs for their first loss of the tournament.
New Zealander Scott Kuggelijn led the way with the ball for the Kings with 2-18 from his two overs.
Saturday’s other Men’s games will see the Barbados Royals tackle the Guyana Amazon Warriors and the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots facing the Trinbago Knight Riders. Barbados Royals will face Guyana Amazon Warriors in the lone Women’s encounter.
Barbadian Raymon Reifer and Trinidadian Amir Jangoo both starred to help the Jamaica Tallawahs beat the Barbados Royals in the 6IXTY at Warner Park in St. Kitts on Friday.
The Royals won the toss and chose to field first. That decision proved to be the wrong one as the Tallawahs hammered the bowling all around Warner Park to post 162-3 from their 10 overs.
The Tallawahs were 60-3 when Reifer came to join Jangoo at the crease in the fifth over before the pair put the Royals bowling to the sword, adding 102 runs off just 36 balls to help them post the mammoth total.
Jangoo ended with 68 not out from 27 balls including four fours and six sixes while Reifer ended 57 not out off 19 balls including eight fours and three sixes.
The Royals then had a decent showing with the bat in reply but, despite fighting knocks from Ireland’s Harry Tector (35), South African Corbin Bosch (33) and Rakheem Cornwall (25), they fell well short of the target, being bowled out for 121 in 9.5 overs.
Reifer completed a fine all-round display with 3-16 off 1.5 overs while Nicholson Gordon took 2-18 from his two overs.
The Tallawahs have now booked a spot in the semi-finals with a perfect record after two games.
Earlier, Trinbago Knight Riders Women got an easy 10-wicket win over Guyana Amazon Warriors Women.
The Amazon Warriors only managed to score 33 before being bowled out in eight overs after winning the toss and electing to bat.
No batter got into double figures as South African leg-spinner Sune Luus led the way with 2-6 from two overs for TKR. Hat-trick hero from their last game Geetika Kodali from the USA took 1-10 from two overs.
The Knight Riders’ opening pair of captain Deandra Dottin and Lee-Ann Kirby then made quick work of the target, reaching 34-0 off 3.5 overs to seal the win.
The St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots and the Trinbago Knight Riders both got one in the win column in the 6IXTY at Warner Park in St. Kitts on Friday.
The Patriots secured a three-wicket victory over the Kings, condemning them to their second straight loss.
Batting first after being put in by the Patriots, the Kings struggled mightily, being bowled out for 66 in 8.4 overs. Johnson Charles provided some spark to the innings with 28 against an excellent spell from left-arm spinner Jaden Carmichael who took 2-6 from his two overs.
The hosts then needed just six overs to reach their target, finishing 72-3. Sherfane Rutherford ended the game with four consecutive sixes to finish 24 not out off just five balls while captain Evin Lewis earlier contributed 22.
In the second encounter, the Knight Riders secured a 47-run victory over the Guyana Amazon Warriors.
The Knight Riders overcame a tricky first half of their innings which saw them struggle to get on top of the Warriors bowling to eventually score 95-4 from their 10 overs after losing the toss. Tion Webster (27) and Terrance Hinds (23) were the main contributors for the Knight Riders while Odean Smith shone with the ball with 2-11 from his two overs.
The Warriors, in reply, were then put in a stranglehold by an excellent TKR bowling performance. Hitting only four fours and, remarkably, no sixes, the Warriors were restricted 48 all out off just 8.1 overs with South African Heinrich Klaasen getting 25 not out.
Captain Ravi Rampaul was the pick of the bowlers with 2-6 from his two overs while Jayden Seales was also impressive, finishing with 2-10 from his two overs.
The Jamaica Tallawahs will tackle the Barbados Royals while Guyana Amazon Warriors Women will play Trinbago Knight Riders Women later on Friday.
The Barbados Royals secured a three-wicket victory over the Trinbago Knight Riders in the 6IXTY at Warner Park in St. Kitts on Thursday.
The Knight Riders, after winning the toss and deciding to bat first, struggled to 76 all out in just 7.5 overs. West Indies left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein top-scored for TKR with 27. It was a very balanced assault from the Royals with the ball as Oshane Thomas, Rakheem Cornwall, Corbin Bosch, Hayden Walsh Jr and Joshua Bishop all took a wicket apiece.
The chase was then made to look simple thanks to the South African Bosch who smashed a 23-ball 42 to complete a man-of-the-match performance. Ireland’s Harry Tector also contributed 16 not out. Ravi Rampaul took 1-5 for the Knight Riders.
In the earlier Men’s games, The Guyana Amazon Warriors beat the St. Lucia Kings by seven runs and the Jamaica Tallawahs got a 55-run win over the St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots.
In the lone Women’s encounter on Thursday, the Trinbago Knight Riders secured a comfortable 29-run win over Barbados Royals.
Returning captain Deandra Dottin starred with the bat for the Knight Riders with 46 off 34 balls to help her team set a total of 92-3 from their 10 overs. Pakistan’s Fatima Sana was excellent with the ball for the Royals with 1-9 from her two overs.
In their reply, the Royals were rocked early by a sensational hat-trick from the USA’s Geetika Kodali in the second over when she removed captain Hayley Matthews for two before dismissing Britney Cooper and South Africa’s Chloe Tryon.
The Royals never recovered, ending their chase at 63-5 from their 10 overs.
Chinelle Henry provided most resistance with 37 while Reniece Boyce also made 18.
Kodali finished with figures of 3-6 off her two overs while Shenetta Grimmond and Sune Luus took one wicket each.
The Guyana Amazon Warriors and Jamaica Tallawahs both secured victories to kick off the Men’s 6ixty at Warner Park in St. Kitts on Thursday.
The Warriors kicked off proceedings by getting a narrow seven-run victory over the St. Lucia Kings. The Warriors batted first after the Kings won the toss and elected to field, posting 111-5 off their 10 overs thanks to a crucial 24-ball 36 not out from West Indies all-rounder Odean Smith.
Jeavor Royal with 2-8 and Matthew Forde with 2-24 starred with the ball for the Kings.
The Kings, despite a fighting 23-ball 41 from Roshon Primus, then fell agonizingly short of their target, being bowled out for 104 with one ball to spare.
Afghanistan wrist-spinner Waqar Salamkheil was the chief destroyer for the Warriors with 3-16.
In the day’s second game, the Tallawahs got a dominant 55-run win over hosts St. Kitts & Nevis Patriots.
The Patriots won the toss and elected to field first, a decision they’d soon regret as the Tallawahs bludgeoned the bowling to post an intimidating 139 all out off 9.5 overs.
West Indies all-rounders Fabian Allen (45), Raymon Reifer (38) and Rovman Powell (32) were all equally destructive as off-spinner Jon-Russ Jagessar was most economical for the Patriots with 1-13 from his two overs.
In reply, the Patriots offered little resistance before being bundled out for 84 after just 7.2 overs.
South African teenage phenom Dewald Brevis was the only batsman to contribute something of note, hitting 34 off just 11 balls including five mammoth sixes.
Migael Pretorious, Niocholson Gordon and Jamie Merchant all took two wickets apiece for the Tallawahs.
Thursday’s third game will see the Barbados Royals tackle the Trinbago Knight Riders. The Royals and Knight Riders will also do battle in the lone Women’s game on Thursday.
Veteran Windies batsman Chris Gayle has expressed excitement at the prospect of returning to the cricket pitch ahead of the newly innovated 6IXTY tournament, which got underway on Tuesday.
Gayle, who has not appeared at a cricket competition since the Bangladesh Premier League, for Fortune Barishal, will suit up for St Kitts and Nevis Patriots when the men’s competition bowls off on Wednesday.
He may be 43 years old and played over 463 T20 matches but the batsman, the most prolific scorer ever in T20 cricket, admits he can't help but be excited by the prospect of returning to the pitch.
“I’m really excited to be back in the field. I missed it. I’m like a kid again, looking forward to the first game… For my debut. I’ll have to get back in shape. I’m still in shape but just a li’l (little) prep here and there to get in that mindset of playing cricket,” Gayle told Espn.
The tournament will feature several new innovations. For example, each batting team will have just six wickets and teams will lose a fielder if they bowl too slowly. The fans will also vote for the timing of a “Mystery Free Hit”, where a batter cannot be dismissed by the bowler.
The 6IXTY is a joint venture between Cricket West Indies (CWI) and CPL and will see six men’s and three women’s teams competing in a 10-over tournament. The tournament began with the women’s teams on Tuesday.
The Universe Boss, who will have the trophy named in his honour has done plenty of damage with the bat over his career but quipped that he is determined to do plenty with the ball as well for this tournament.
“You know what? My bowling is natural. I definitely have to bowl,” said Gayle. “I’m the greatest off-spinner of all time. Murali (Muttiah Muralitharan) won’t contest that for sure. I have the best economy, not even Sunil Narine can come close to that.”
As a part-time off-spinner, he has picked up 83 wickets in his career.
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