FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida – West Indies batsman Lendl Simmons smashed a century to catapult US All Stars into the final of the US Open Cricket T20 tournament, but then fell cheaply as Cavaliers 22 Yards lifted the title with an 11-run victory at the Central Broward Regional Park ground here on Monday.
Lendl Simmons struck a century in the semi-final.Left-hander Steven Taylor, born in Florida of Jamaican parents, was named Player-of-the-Match after top-scoring with 47 in a low-scoring final that saw the Cavaliers post 150 for seven after being sent in.
Guyanese Trevon Griffith, who has represented both his homeland and Jamaica at first class level, took two for 25 while another off-spinner Trinidadian Jon-Russ Jaggesar claimed two for 33, to restrict All Stars to 139 for seven.
The 28-year-old Taylor struck four fours and two sixes in his 37-ball innings, adding 53 for the first wicket with out-of-favour West Indies batsman Chandrapaul Hemraj (20), whose 75 in Sunday’s first semi-final saw his side squeak home by one run against Clarion County Eagles.
After Simmons’ dismissal for 18 from nine balls in All Stars’ run chase, Griffith rallied his side with a 45-ball 57, including six fours and a six, while former West Indies wicketkeeper and Test captain Denesh Ramdin chipped in with 29 not out from 25 balls, but their efforts proved in vain.
Simmons’ semi-final century earlier in the day – the only batsman to reach three figures in the week-long tournament – ended Bermudian hopes of glory.
Delray Rawlins (7) and fellow Bermudian Kamau Leverock (1) – caught trying to flick Jaggesar (2-41) – both failed with the bat, but Florida Scorpions rallied to post 171 for eight, highlighted by Englishman John Simpson’s 59, and useful knocks by Scottish pair Calum MacLeod (32) and captain Kyle Coetzer (31).
Simmons made light of the target, however, smashing 114 from 50 balls with 10 sixes and 11 fours, and featuring in an opening stand of 143 with Griffith, who made 40, as All Stars cantered home by eight wickets with 29 balls to spare.
In the other semi-final, Hemraj’s 75 from 38 balls, including six sixes and six fours, helped guide Cavaliers to 200 for five before they held Clarion County to 199 for eight.
West Indies off-spinning all-rounder Sunil Narine’s powered Clarion County with 78 from 35 balls, a knock which contained four sixes and eight fours, while Canadian Nitish Kumar chipped in with 46.
