Copyright virginislandsdailynews
TORTOLA — After losing its opening match last week in the British Virgin Islands Cricket Association’s Peter Haycraft Ten10 Cup, defending champion RTW Falcons bounced back with a thrilling eight-run victory over the Cavaliers on Sunday at the Greenland Arena. It’s an unusual 0-2 start in any format of BVICA play for the Cavaliers, which has had a lock on more championship appearances than any other team. After winning the toss, they sent the RTW Falcons to the crease and slowed their progress by taking the first two wickets for 33. Then Gary Prince and Austin McDowall strung together a 55-run third-wicket partnership before Prince was caught by Jagnarine “Suga” Persaud for 49. McDowall could only add another 18 runs with Curtly Peters, who had 14 not out, as the RTW Falcons reached 131 for 6 in their 10 overs to even its record at 1-1. Cavaliers’ bowlers Dhanpaul Chrisnanand and Avishkar Sewkarran snatched 2 for 32 and 2 for 27, respectively. When the Cavaliers began its chase, captain Gavin Hitnarine was run out before he could swing his bat for his second duck in as many games. Sewkarran then had a 96-run recovery partnership with Trevis Dookharan for the second wicket, before he was stumped for 55. Dookharan went on to get a contributing 36 before he was caught by Prince and Dhanpaul had a supporting 15 not out as the Cavaliers settled for 123 for 5. “Both times we’ve lost chasing and will have to turn around our fortunes by batting first,” Hitnarine told The Daily News. “We have to work on our game plan and we have to play a comprehensive game — batting, bowling, fielding — but sending teams to bat was our strength in the past. Our record shows that we prefer chasing. It just happened that the last two times it didn’t come off for us, but if we have to chase again, we will back ourself to win.” RTW Falcons captain Orlando “Facebook” Ollivierre described the match as a “comeback win.” “Last week we lost our first game and we were badly beaten, so we decided that we have to come out strong because Cavaliers is a good team and we wanted to put our best foot forward,” Ollivierre said. “It’s a good feeling to overcome that obstacle.” Ollivierre said that they have played against the Cavaliers’ players long enough and they know their batsmen and spoke to their bowler about what they should do. “We took away their shots from them and put the ball in the right area,” he said. “This victory is a stepping stone towards the final and winning the tournament again. This is a good feeling. I will enjoy it.” In the afternoon game, Vikings spinner Johnny Bailey ripped through Grenada’s order, bagging 4 for 15, as the Vikings went on to a seven-wicket victory after sending them to bat. Opener Derrol Redhead resisted for a defiant 54 not out from 19 balls, but did not get support from the next four batsmen who combined for 18 runs. Middle order batsman Rodaph Davis had a useful knock of 24, but the next four batsmen after him folded under Bailey’s bowling pressure for a paltry four runs. Grenada settled for 107 for 9 in their 10 overs. Vikings bowler Collis Fraser grabbed an additional 2 for 33. Vikings’ opener Julian Bannet, who had 118 not out last week, was bowled out by Rodney Maryshow for 22 and Davis took Timothy Sookram’s stump for 23. Middle order batsman Rakumar Seepersard had 40 not out, taking the Vikings to 109 for 3 in 7.2 overs for its second victory.
