Pioneers throw in the towel and leave the game
POSTED: 08/27/12 1:07 PMSt. Maarten – When the WIB Pioneers went up against the Nagico Cricket Club in the first semi final game in the A division yesterday, no one would have anticipated how it would end, but after 40 completed overs and seven wickets down, the Pioneers decided to call it quits.
It was a very unusual move by the Lions who had reached 164 in the 40th over, but with that move, Nagico won the game by 170 runs and 58 balls to spare so they will now await the winner of the Spartans/Conquerors game which will be played next Sunday.
Coming into the crucial game where the winner automatically advanced to the finals, the Nagico team were yet to be defeated and the Pioneers had only lost a single game. But it was Nagico that had a distinct advantage after winning the toss, batting first and scoring a mammoth 334 for 8 from the allotted overs.
Spearheading the Nagico attack was Romain Doodnauth who was eventually caught by Moreland Le Blanc, off the bowling from Felix David on 82 which was punctuated with 5 fours and 4 sixes. But the man that almost stole the show was Marlon Brutus, who is known for his bowling abilities.
Brutus, who bowls with his left hand and bats with his right was able to punish the bowlers by striking 4 fours and a six in his superb performance and was not out on 62. The only other batsmen to get into double figures was Steven Evans, caught Damion Beckford off the bowling from James Remice on 30.
Rashad Pirkhan was not out on 30, Anil Persaud was bowled by Remice on 15 and Keith Carty was caught and bowled by Arif Khan on 10. But chasing 335 to win turned out to be a daunting task for the Pioneers who were facing an uphill task.
After over number 34, they had already lost 5 wickets with the score on 133 and a required run rate of 12.89 runs per over. At that stage in the game, nothing was impossible, but the target was by far un reachable.
Even when the 50 run partnership between Damien Beckford and Algis Jack was accomplished, it was just a matter of time before Nagico got a break through and when it finally happened, it was Jack who was comprehensively bowled by Colin Hamer on 35, but Beckford stuck his ground and was batting responsibly.
Remice the new batsman was unable to settle down and when he was bowled by Hamer on 2 and Beckford decided to walk off, it was a clear signal that there was no depth in the batting and Beckford certainly could not do it alone.
In the B division, the Motorworld Kaietuer, KFC, Future Champs B and Shop For Less Everest will have to battle it out to see which two teams will face off in the finals.
Pix filed as sports effort
Algis Jack squares a ball during his spell of 35 for the WIB Pioneers. Milton Pieters Photo.
