Hikers win third consecutive VPL title

FOR DAYS fans were speaking of their team making it to the finals of the fourth edition of the VPL Ten/10 cricket tournament in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. But after the hair-raising win by Botanical Rangers over the 2020 champions, Salt Pond Breakers on Saturday afternoon April 2, it was down to La Soufriere Hikers, the defending champions taking on first time finalists, Botanical Gardens Breakers.

AN EMOTIONAL Cameron Harry (left) with Hikers captain Desron Maloney holding the VPL trophy

The scene was set as fans began streaming into the Arnos Vale Sports Complex from as early as 10:00 a.m., for the President’s XI versus the Best of the Best to be followed by the grand final.

Botanical Gardens Rangers won the toss and chose to bowl on a surface expected to have something in it for both ball and bat. Larry Edwards took the new ball and kept Gidron Pope in check. Pope drove the third delivery down the ground for 4, Edwards was smiling at the end of the first over which conceded only 5 runs.

Kenneth Dember bowled the second over, and realising that Pope was trying to hit everything through the leg-side, bowled slower outside the off-stump. Pope dragged a back of a length delivery into the hands of Mickel Joseph at long on, sending Rangers’ fans into throes of delirious celebrations.

Dillon Douglas hit Dember through the offside for a boundary off the first delivery of the fourth over, but Dember soon trapped him leg-before-wicket the next delivery.

Rangers were in charge at the end of the powerplay with the score being 22 for 2; Dember with figures of 2 for 12 from his 2 overs, while Larry Edwards although wicket-less, conceded 9 runs from his two overs.

Another deadly blow was struck when Rangers’ skipper, Kesrick Williams had Hikers captain, Maloney caught on the third man boundary off a thick edge to reduce Hikers to 26 for 3.

Then came the Kaveen Hodge party. He square cut Razine Browne for a boundary in the fifth over, then pumped two sixes off Kesrick Williams in the sixth over to push Hikers to 54 for 3.

Winston Samuel who took a hat trick in Saturday’s game, was treated with disdain, as 20 were taken off the eighth over. Andrew Thomas drilled a full toss over mid wicket, Hodge drove through covers for four, then slogged-swept him over square for a maximum.

Razine Browne pulled the rate back in the penultimate over, allowing no boundary and conceding 8 runs.

Hodge brought up his half century during the final over as he pulled Winston Samuel for six, his half-century coming off 28 deliveries. He topscored with 53, Andrew made 21; the only two batsmen to reach double figures. Kenneth Dember took 2 for 12, and Kesrick Williams 1 for 20.

In the Rangers response, Salvan Browne nursing a finger injury sustained during the Hikers inning, drove Hodge over the top to take a boundary in the first over. Wayne Harper followed suit during the second over bowled by Othneil Lewis.

Salvan Browne swept Lewis for four, in attempting another hoick towards ‘cow corner’, only succeeded in top-edging the ball for Nigel Small running back from square leg to take the catch.

Kavem Hodge was smoked onto the roof of the Michael Findlay stand by Mickel Joseph in the third, but was dismissed immediately after as he edged an attempted big hit to backward point. Othneil Lewis bowled the final power play over, conceding just 3 runs and Rangers were ahead at the end of the powerplay; 26 for 2.

At the halfway stage, Rangers required 66 runs from 30 deliveries, but Hikers were poor during the sixth over, Wayne Harper being dropped and the ball then trickled into the boundary for four, adding insult to injury.

Harper capitalised on his good fortune, cutting over point for four, smacking Kemron Strough for a four then a six. Strough changed the angle of attack going around the wicket and Harper top edged a pull shot into the hands of Jeremy Layne. Rangers only scored 7 runs from the next nine deliveries after the fall of Harper’s wicket.

Rangers required 35 runs from the final 12 legal deliveries, with tournament leading wicket-taker Rayan Williams bowling the penultimate over. Keron Cottoy pulled the final ball of the over onto the players pavilion to take the chase to 18 from 6 deliveries.

In a strange decision, Dillon Douglas’ off spin was given preference for the final over, from which Rangers were only able to get 12 runs.

Wayne Harper top scored with 29, Keron Cottoy supported with 27 not out, and Kenneth Dember 19 not out. Kaveem Hodge and Kemron Strough took 1 for 11 each, Dillon Douglas 1 for 12, Othneil Lewis 1 for 14, as the La Soufriere Hikers won by 5 runs; and their third consecutive title.

It was an emotional time for former manager, Cameron Harry who recently suffered a stroke, and was unable to manage the team for the 2022 VPL Ten/10 tournament.

On Saturday afternoon April 2, 2022, Salt Pond Breakers had their hearts broken with a last ball victory by Botanical Gardens Rangers. Batting first, Salt Pond Breakers scored 103 for 9 off their ten overs. Ryan John top-scored with 18, Ricavo Williams 17 retired hurt, and Kidir Nedd 15-the leading scorers. Bowling for Rangers, Winston Samuel with the last over of the inning took the 2022 edition’s second hat-trick 3 for 3, Kenneth Dember 2 for 12, and Razine Browne 2 for 20.

The Botanical Gardens Rangers who have been the bottom of the table occupier for the past VPL editions, needed 18 runs from the last over if they were to change the records on the history books. The first three deliveries were a mixed bag as Rangers lost a wicket and scored 3 runs.

Tijorn Pope, who swung and missed in the previous deliveries faced, deposited Breakers captain, Delorn Johnson for 2 sixes over mid-wicket, reducing the equation to 3 runs needed for victory from 1 delivery. Then came the comic strip.

Delorn Johnson bowled the last delivery that Pope drove to long off. The fielder returned the throw to the wicket-keeper as the batsmen were crossing for the second run and missed a run-out chance. The fielder backing up failed to collect cleanly, and the two batsmen crossed for the third run to complete a remarkable victory for Rangers, sending them into their first VPL Ten/10 finals.

Pope remained 18 not out, Kesrick Williams who did not face a ball was not out on without scoring; Salvan Browne top-scored with 21, and Wayne Harper contributed 18. Bowling for Breakers, Jomel Warrican took 2 for 17, Kadeem Alleyne 1 for 10, and Beniton Stapleton 1 for 12.