Botanical Gardens Rangers are VPL Champions

Botanical Garden Rangers emerged champions on Sunday, April 23 in the finals of the Dream 11 Vincy Premier League (VPL) 5.0 edition with a eight-wicket thumping of Fort Charlotte Strikers at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. The new title holders, playing before a large, appreciative crowd at the Arnos Vale Playing Field took the title with 2.2 overs to spare.

Scores of fans rushed onto the grounds in celebration when Roshon Primus hit the winning run off Carlos Braithwaite to square leg.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul guides a ball to thirdman boundary (photo by Robertson S Henry}

Chasing 95 for victory, Rangers lost Andre Fletcher for 19, the score was 26 for 1; then Keron Cottoy went for 18 (43 for 2), but Roshon Primus with 28 not out, and Revendra Persuad 19 not out saw Botanical Rangers to a commanding finish.

Bowling for Fort Charlotte Strikers Alston Bobb sr, took 1 for 15 off his 2 overs; and Kevin Abraham had 1 for 28 off his 2 overs, with extras contributing 12.

Earlier, Fort Charlotte Strikers having won the toss, decided to bat, reaching 95 for 5 in their allotted 10 overs. Hyron Shallow top-scored with 26 and was the fourth wicket to fall with the score on 72. Gidron Pope who made 10, was the first wicket to fall to fall (1 for 15); Sealroy Williams for 18 (2 for 34); Salvan Browne 5 (3 for 53); and Carlos Braithwaite 6 (72 for 5).

Bowling for Rangers, Ronnel Jeffery took 2 for 15; Kenneth Dember 1 for 12; Keron Cottoy 1 for 13; and Revendra Persuad 1 for 25. Extras contributed 12.

In a brief interview following the game, Rangers’ captain, Kenneth Dember told SEARCHLIGHT that the win was a total team effort.

“Having come so close last year when we lost by five runs, we knew that we could do it so everyone gave it their all.”

Roshon Primus hits the winning runs (photo by Robertson S Henry)

He admitted that chasing small totals could be tricky. In a previous game against Dark View Explorers, Rangers started off conservatively but struggled to win that game chasing 94 for victory.

“We realized that we needed to be more aggressive in chasing small totals and this is what our batters went out to do, and got us over the line,” Dember added.

In the awards ceremony which followed-: Ronnel Jeffery of Botanical Gardens Rangers was named Man of the match.

Best bowling economy was Shaman Hooper of Dark View Explorers.

Bowler with the best strike rate was Delorn Johnson of Salt Pond Breakers.

The best catch was taken by Asif Hooper of Grenadines Divers

The award for the most sixes (27) went to André Fletcher of Botanical Garden Rangers.

The most catches (10) were taken by Benniton Stapleton of Grenadines Divers.

The most wickets (13) were taken by Roshon Primus and Revendra Persuad of Botanical Garden Rangers, and Jerome Jones of Fort Charlotte Strikers.

The most runs (339) were chalked up by Chadwick Walton of Grenadines Divers.

The Tournament MVP (13 wickets and 228 runs) was Roshon Primus of Botanical Garden Rangers.

In the first game of the day, the Best of the Rest defeated the President’s XI team by 19 runs. Having won the toss, the President’s XI invited the Best of the Rest team to bat; they totalled 112 for 5 in 10 overs- Navin Stewart top-scoring with 44; Romano Pierre 28; and Reshawn Lewis 19 despite a rain interruption which lasted for about 20 minutes.

Bowling for the President’s XI, Deighton Butler took 2 for 18; Roland Wilkinson 1 for 10; and Rajiv Roberts 1 for 17.

In response, the President’s XI was only able to score 93 for 5 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul top-scoring with 38, and Romel Currency 35. Jomel Warrican took 2 fpr 12, Kirtney Franklin 2 for 15, and Ryshon Willimas 1 for 19 as the Best of the Rest won by 19 runs.