Kingston Wharves semifinalists decided

KINGSTON CRICKET Club captain and spinner Giovanni Grey was in scintillating form on Monday, picking up five wickets including a hat trick to set up a two-wicket win over Melbourne Cricket Club in their feature Kingston Wharves quarterfinal encounter at Melbourne Oval.

Grey, who opened the bowling, sent down 6.5 overs and picked up five wickets for 14 runs, including two maidens. The tall right-hander would secure a hat trick by bowling Alixandre Elliott, Joshua Channer and Antoine Campbell for nought.

Jahdai Gray also got among the wickets, snaring two wickets for three runs in four overs. Only opener Abraham Waugh got into double figures as he made 15 after facing 17 balls and hitting two fours, as Melbourne folded for 58 runs in 19.5 overs.

Kingston made a meal of the run chase after being in total control at 30 for one at the lunch break. Following the resumption, they would lose a plethora of wickets with pacer Emel Palmer taking three wickets for 11 runs, while Waugh dug into the lower order by picking up three wickets for just five runs.

Gray held up the innings with 13 runs from 31 balls while Antwin Virgo made 10 after also facing 31 balls. Nickoy Smith with nine not out eventually saw Kingston over the line at 59 for eight in 18.4 overs to book their passage into the final four.

“We did well with our bowling to restrict them to 58 and we thought we would have gotten an easy win, but we were a bit too overconfident in our run chase. In the end, we managed to pull through for the win and I am happy for that,” said Grey.

Kingston will next face defending champions St Mary in the semifinals after they pulled off a comfortable 79-run win over St James.

St Mary posted a formidable 172 all out with national under-15 player, Tyson Gordon, getting 79 against three wickets for Jaden Williams. Tedain Noyan and Gordon then took three wickets apiece to restrict St James to 93 all out despite 28 from Williams.

The other semifinal will see Kensington CC taking on Manchester following their quarterfinal encounters.

Kensington CC and St Catherine CC played to a draw in their encounter with Kensington putting up a competitive 182 all out in 43.4 overs with Savio Jones top-scoring with 54. St Catherine CC were 66 for six when the game was called off.

Manchester had an easy 103-run win over Westmorland with Manchester first scoring 137 for three in 40 overs with Pajay Nelson top-scoring with 68 not out and Tesfay Ward getting 44.

Jadeh Moore, Kevaughn Flemmings, and Demario Hall all took three wickets in routing Westmorland for just 34 all out in 25.2 overs.