Steelpan Strikers drown out Soca Kings in T10 final


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Steelpan Strikers celebrate victory in the TTCB Dream XI T10 Blast final at the Brian Lara Academy, Tarouba. – Marvin Hamilton

ANTHONY Alexander and West Indies T20 batsman Evin Lewis led Steelpan Strikers to the Dream XI Trinidad T10 Blast title with a seven-wicket win over Soca Kings in the final at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba, on Friday.

Despite the match bowling off during usual working hours at 2.45 pm, hundreds showed up at the venue to witness the final.

Chasing 118 for victory, Strikers got an impressive opening partnership from Lewis and former West Indies Under-19 player Kirstan Kallicharan.

In the second over, medium pacer Strassark Sankar was punished for 29 runs.

The over included a straight six by Lewis and a slog sweep by Kallicharan that went for six over long on.

Strikers got to 50 in just 2.3 overs as Justin Manick leaked 18 runs in the third over.

Play was stopped briefly to treat Lewis who suffered cramps.

West Indies fast bowler Ravi Rampaul then gave Kings a glimmer of hope removing Kallicharan and Lewis in the fourth over.

Kallicharan was bowled for 22 off 11 deliveries, before Lewis was caught at short fine leg for 28 off 11.

The Strikers scoring rate slowed for a short period after the wickets, but Alexander and Akeem Alvarez kept the scoreboard ticking.

Alexander was the aggressor hitting multiple boundaries as Strikers stayed in control of the match.

Steelpan Strikers bowler Stephon Ramdial bowls against Soca Kings in the Dream XI T10 Blast final at the Brian Lara Academy, Tarouba, Friday. – Marvin Hamilton

With victory in sight, Alexander was caught at the cover boundary for 38 off 15 balls. He struck two fours and four sixes. Alvarez (ten) and Imran Khan (two) completed the run chase as Strikers got to 118/3 in just eight overs.

Rampaul ended with the best figures of 2/14 in two overs.

Batting first, Kings posted 117/5 in ten overs.

Jesse Bootan led the way with 45 off 21 balls, a knock which included two fours and four sixes.

Jason Mohammed, who ended as the leading run scorer in the tournament, cracked 36 off 20 balls.

Mohammed was dismissed in the eighth over when he skied a Stephon Ramdial delivery to wicket-keeper Adrian Ali attempting a pull shot.

After hitting two sixes in the final over, Bootan was dismissed off the final delivery by Jahron Alfred.

Ramdial and Alfred were the pick of the bowlers with 2/17 and 2/21 respectively in their two-over spells.

Strikers copped $100,000 for winning the title.

Earlier on Friday, Strikers qualified for the final with a 64-run victory over Leatherback Giants in the playoff match.

Summarised Scores:

FINAL

SOCA KINGS 117/5 (10 overs) – Jason Mohammed 36, Jesse Bootan 45; Stephon Ramdial 2/17, Jahron Alfred 2/21 vs STEELPAN STRIKERS 118/3 (8 overs) – Anthony Alexander 38, Evin Lewis 28, Kirstan Kallicharan 22; Ravi Rampaul 2/14. Strikers won by seven wickets.

PLAYOFF

STEELPAN STRIKERS 133/5 (10 overs) – Evin Lewis 74, Kirstan Kallicharan 33; Vishan Jagessar 2/35 vs LEATHERBACK GIANTS 68 (10 overs) – Nicholas Pooran 23, Sion Hackett 20; Imran Khan 4/9, Ahkeel Mollon 3/20, Jahron Alfred 2/23. Strikers won by 64 runs.



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