Vaden Walker and the Vikings begin to celebrate as they held their nerve to beat Grenada by 2 runs on Sunday in the Digicel 20/20 Tournament. Photo: BVICA

New Vikings player, Kevin Joseph bashed his way to 87 including seven maximums. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Raymond Charles took Grenada close to the line but was unable to find the finishing touch despite scoring an unbeaten 79. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Mohamed Hassan of the Cavaliers notched an unbeaten 41 as his team posted 247 - 5 against the New Testament Church of God. Photo: BVICA

Cavaliers Captain Jagnerine Persaud leads of his players after the 106 run victory over the NTCoG. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The game which stretched long into the early evening twilight, thanks to many drinks breaks and huddles by the Vikings as they looked to defend their total, featured many ebbs and flows, with both teams thinking they had won, both teams thinking they had lost and eventually the Grenada team knowing they had lost and probably wasted a glorious chance to claim a big scalp on their return to domestic cricket. 

Grenada won the toss and asked Vikings to bat first, a decision which was quickly justified as at the half way stage the Vikings were reduced to 76 for 5, although new team member Kevin Joseph was still at the crease and looking increasingly dangerous. 

The Tournament’s leading run scorer, Vikings Captain and opener, Richard Fredericks, had already fallen for just 22 and it was left to a partnership of 111 between Joseph and Yudesh Shivprashad to steer Vikings to a defendable score. Joseph’s 50 came from just 26 balls, but he eventually fell to Grenada’s pacer, Irvin Lewis for 87 runs, which included 10 fours and 7 sixes. Shivprashad was run out on the final ball of the inning for 37, including 6 fours and one six in 24 balls as the Vikings reached 193. 

Lewis finished with 2 for 17 runs from four overs and Anthony Panchoo assisted with 2 for 39 runs from 4 overs for Grenada. 

Needing 194 for victory, Grenada started slowly and was pegged back when veteran opening batsman, Raymond Charles retired briefly to tend to a leg injury. Charles returned later in the inning and along with the dangerous Derrol Redhead produced an 81-run partnership that wrested the game away from the Vikings. 

Looking to stem the flow of runs in the waning moments of the game, Vikings turned to their veteran spinner, Winston Davis. However, Redhead greeted Davis with a straight six that left Greenland Grounds like a bullet shot from a gun. 

The very next ball, Davis fired a flatter and quicker delivery that bowled Redhead on 47 runs, 3 runs short of his half century. He secured 3 fours and 5 sixes. 

Emmanuel Charles and Raymond needed to score 13 runs from the final two overs to win. Fredericks introduced himself into the attack and penetrated the attacking drive from Emmanuel to rock back the stumps, shattering the off stump in the process. More importantly, Fredericks allowed just four runs from the over. 

The final equation was simple, Grenada needed 10 runs from the final over to win and the Vikings placed confidence in their former captain, Vaden Walker, to win the game with the ball. 

Thoughtful bowling by Walker left Grenada needing 8 runs from the final two balls of the game. Raymond missed the first delivery bowled outside off stump to send Vikings into premature celebrations. Raymond then smashed the final ball for 6, but it came a little too late for Grenada as Vikings walked away with a hard-fought victory. 

Earlier and despite dropping their opening game to defending champions Vincy, Cavaliers C.C. returned to winning ways with a 106 run victory against the short handed New Testament Church of God (NTCOG).

NTCOG won the toss and elected to give Cavaliers first bat. Vishal Bharrat, the tournament’s second highest run scorer, anchored the batting for Cavaliers, stroking 5 fours and 7 sixes for his 81 runs. 

Cavaliers reached 247 for 5 from 20 overs as towards the end of the inning, captain Jagnarine ‘Sugar’ Persaud (47 runs not out) and Mohamed Hassan (41 runs not out) shared a 100-run partnership. 

Bowling for NTCOG, Timon Robinson finished with 2 for 35 from 4 overs and Trent Belfon, Andrew Richards as well as Kenron Baptiste picked up a wicket each.  

In reply, NTCOG settled for a total of 141 with one batsman, Baptiste retired hurt following a blow to his mouth. Orlando France was left not out on 30. Ferris Pope and Belfon added 31 runs each. Dorian Auguiste bowled 2 for 9 from 3 overs while a wicket each went to Persaud, Hassan, Dhanpaul Chrisnanand and Tajram ‘Teddy’ Nankishore.