T&T crush Guyana to take third CT20 title
GROS ISLET, St Lucia (CMC) – Mighty Trinidad and Tobago reduced the Caribbean Twenty20 final to a no-contest as they crushed out-of-sorts Guyana in a authoritative performance to march to their third consecutive title on Sunday night.
The defending champions hardly put a foot wrong, limiting Guyana to an inadequate 116 for six off their 20 overs and then cruising to their target with over seven overs left at the Beausejour Cricket Stadium.
T&T’s triumph was set up by fast bowlers Shannon Gabriel (2-16) and Rayad Emrit (2-18) who claimed two wickets apiece in superb four-over spells to keep a lid on the scoring.
Happy to chase a target that required less than a run a ball, T&T got off to a flier courtesy of a rollicking 52-run stand off 32 balls between dashing West Indies right-hander Lendl Simmons and rookie Evin Lewis.
Simmons slammed an unbeaten 52 off 37 balls with four fours and three sixes while the left-handed Lewis stroked a cavalier 32 from 18 balls with four fours and two sixes.
When they were parted in the sixth over, Kieron Pollard welcomed a promotion to number three by blasting three sixes and a four in a cameo unbeaten 25 from 21 balls, as he starred in an unbroken 68-run, second wicket partnership off 43 balls with Simmons.
In fact, it was Pollard’s massive blow over long-on off off-spinner Narsingh Deonarine that sealed victory and sparked a fireworks display and partying among the Trinidadian players and fans.