Pooran sparkles
...as Parkites rise from the brink to be champions
Vinode Mamchan
Published: Guardian
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Queen’s Park batsman Nicholas Pooran celebrates after taking Queen’s Park to the NGC T20 title at the NCC on Friday night.
"Many of us are more capable than some of us, but none of us are as capable as all of us." They just can't stop us. Privileged to be a part of the QPCC family.â€
The sentiments of Queen’s Park captain Justin Guillen after his team came back from the dead to win to defeat Alescon Comets and capture the 2016 NGC T20 title at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Couva on Friday night.
Chasing 144 runs for victory Queen’s Park were in dire straights at 43 for six after Roshon Primus grabbed four wickets and the Oval faithfuls at the ground were packing up their portable chairs to head back into Port-of-Spain. However, Nicholas Pooran kept them in central close to midnight and gave them something to celebrate, as he took them to victory by three wickets with three balls to spare.
Pooran better known as a carefree strokeplayer, curbed his aggression to play an innings that belied his age and experience. He found an able partner in spinner Khary Pierre and they did not panic. They took singles and the odd boundaries, all the while keeping the required rate around 10 runs. They diminished the overs and left with 41 of four, they opened up. Pierre was run out for 30 of 31 balls with three fours and all rounder Javon Searles came in.
Pooran was there and changed gears, hitting two sixes and the game was back in Queen’s Park favour. Searles also got into the act slamming an unbeaten 20. When the $100,000 shot came, Pooran was unbeaten on 56, made of 40 balls with five fours and two sixes. Barbadian Primus tried his best taking 4/23 but it was not enough on the night.
Earlier, Comets won the toss and decided to take first strike on a pitch that was pacey and good for batting. Openers Stephen Katwaroo and Imran Khan got their team of to a good start, getting 65 runs in nine overs.
Katwaroo made 39 of 30 balls with five fours, while Khan smoked 30 of 27 balls with five fours as well. In the middle of the innings Barbadian Kevin Stoute came good in getting 43 of 41 balls with five fours and a six but the eventual total of 143 for seven was never going to be enough on the NCC track.
NGC FINAL SCORES
Alescon Comets 143/6 (20ovs) (Kevin Stoute 43, Stephen Katwaroo 39, Imran Khan 30, Javon Searles 36) vs Queen’s Park CC 147/7 (19.3) (Nicholas Pooran 56no, Khary Pierre 30, Javon Searles 20, Roshon Primus 4/23) - QPCC won by 3 wkts.
...as Parkites rise from the brink to be champions
Vinode Mamchan
Published: Guardian
Sunday, April 17, 2016
Queen’s Park batsman Nicholas Pooran celebrates after taking Queen’s Park to the NGC T20 title at the NCC on Friday night.
"Many of us are more capable than some of us, but none of us are as capable as all of us." They just can't stop us. Privileged to be a part of the QPCC family.â€
The sentiments of Queen’s Park captain Justin Guillen after his team came back from the dead to win to defeat Alescon Comets and capture the 2016 NGC T20 title at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Couva on Friday night.
Chasing 144 runs for victory Queen’s Park were in dire straights at 43 for six after Roshon Primus grabbed four wickets and the Oval faithfuls at the ground were packing up their portable chairs to head back into Port-of-Spain. However, Nicholas Pooran kept them in central close to midnight and gave them something to celebrate, as he took them to victory by three wickets with three balls to spare.
Pooran better known as a carefree strokeplayer, curbed his aggression to play an innings that belied his age and experience. He found an able partner in spinner Khary Pierre and they did not panic. They took singles and the odd boundaries, all the while keeping the required rate around 10 runs. They diminished the overs and left with 41 of four, they opened up. Pierre was run out for 30 of 31 balls with three fours and all rounder Javon Searles came in.
Pooran was there and changed gears, hitting two sixes and the game was back in Queen’s Park favour. Searles also got into the act slamming an unbeaten 20. When the $100,000 shot came, Pooran was unbeaten on 56, made of 40 balls with five fours and two sixes. Barbadian Primus tried his best taking 4/23 but it was not enough on the night.
Earlier, Comets won the toss and decided to take first strike on a pitch that was pacey and good for batting. Openers Stephen Katwaroo and Imran Khan got their team of to a good start, getting 65 runs in nine overs.
Katwaroo made 39 of 30 balls with five fours, while Khan smoked 30 of 27 balls with five fours as well. In the middle of the innings Barbadian Kevin Stoute came good in getting 43 of 41 balls with five fours and a six but the eventual total of 143 for seven was never going to be enough on the NCC track.
NGC FINAL SCORES
Alescon Comets 143/6 (20ovs) (Kevin Stoute 43, Stephen Katwaroo 39, Imran Khan 30, Javon Searles 36) vs Queen’s Park CC 147/7 (19.3) (Nicholas Pooran 56no, Khary Pierre 30, Javon Searles 20, Roshon Primus 4/23) - QPCC won by 3 wkts.