Pride see off minnows Canada in Super50

BASSETERRE, St Kitts (CMC):

Left-hander Nicholas Kirton struck his second half-century in three innings as Barbados Pride rebounded from a shock defeat to CCC Marooners to crush minnows Canada by nine wickets on Monday.

Set a paltry 162 at Conaree Cricket Centre, Pride made light work of the target to get home with 20 overs to spare.

Opener Kjorn Ottley finally tasted form following low returns in his previous two innings, top-scoring with an upbeat unbeaten 70 off 84 deliveries, while Kirton was yet again fluent in notching 56 not out off 48 balls.

Leniko Boucher got a start with 26 but once he departed in the 13th over, Ottley and Kirton took charge in an exactly 100-run, unbroken second-wicket stand.

Choosing to bat first, Canada’s innings of 161 was underpinned by Arslan Khan who struck a defiant 76 off 128 deliveries, after new-ball speedsters Chemar Holder (3-32) and Roshon Primus (3-34) rocked the top order.

Arslan arrived at the crease with his side in turmoil at six for two in the third over and watched as they slipped further to 29 for four in the 15th over.

The 20-year-old then put his head down in an innings containing five fours and a six, putting on 21 for the fifth wicket with Kanwarpal Tathgur (5), 38 for the sixth wicket with Harsh Thaker (18) and 34 for the seventh wicket with captain Kanwar Mann (8).

Arslan finally perished in the 43rd over, swinging Primus to short midwicket where Ashley Nurse took a low catch.

In reply, Ottley and Boucher put on 62 off 77 balls for the first wicket to ensure there were no hiccups in the run chase.

Left-hander Ottley counted 10 fours while Boucher hit five boundaries in a 48-ball knock before missing a straight one from left-arm spinner Shahid Ahmadzai and falling lbw in the 13th over.

Kirton, who featured last season for reigning champions CCC Marooners, joined Ottley and set about the Canadian attack with relish, pummelling five fours and two sixes, to race to his half-century off 46 balls by clearing the ropes at long off with seamer Nauman Zafar in the 30th over.

He finished the game with the very next delivery, dragging Zafar to the midwicket boundary.

At Queen’s Park Oval, Guyana Jaguars beat United States by 13 runs.

The Jaguars made 226 off 50 overs with Chris Barnwell top-scoring with 80 runs, and Leon Johnson 43 and Tagenarine Chanderpaul 40, offering support against Karima Gore 3-38.

In reply, the USA managed 213 for nine off 50 overs with Mrundal Patel 43, Akshay Homraj 32 and Ian Holland 2 getting most runs. Raymon Reifer 5-35 was the top bowler for the Jaguars.

At Brian Lara Stadium, WI Emerging Players beat Windward Islands Volcanoes by 107 runs.

The Emerging Players team scored 261 for three off 50 overs with Joshua DaSilva 103 not out, Gidron Pope 50 and Roland Cato 49 not out being most impressive with the bat.

In replay, the Volcanoes could only manage 154 off 38 overs with Shane Shillingford 41 not out and Kerron Cottoy 33, getting most runs. Keon Harding 4-45 and Kevin Sinclair 3-19 were the pick of the bowlers for the Emerging Players team.