Zameer Zaman’s stellar performances with both bat and ball enabled San Souci Jaguars to assault the ‘G’ Square Cavaliers in the exciting final of the seventh V Net Communications T20 blast, played at the Wakenaam Community Centre Ground on Sunday.
Celebration time! The victorious San Souci Jaguars unit flanked by Director of Sport Christopher Jones (left) and V Net Communications Managing Director Safraz Sheriffudeen (second from left), celebrate their success at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground on Sunday
Opening the batting, Zaman cracked a whir-whiled 72 from 42 balls, then took 2 for 30 with his medium-pace, helping the Jaguars to a 37-run victory.
Set a daunting 181 for victory, Cavaliers received an early jolt in their innings when Jagarnauth Manbodh (11), Satnarine Shadeo (02), and Bali Scott (01) were all left to be spectators with the score on 17-for-3 in the fourth over.
The seam of Daniel Daniels (1-24) and Zaman caused the early trouble, shifting the stumps in their disciplined opening spell.
Komal Khan and Satronhan Shiwnandan (12) then undertook operation restoration, adding 40 for the fourth wicket, but Nokta Moses bowled Shiwnandan to mount the scoreboard pressure with their team on 57 for 4 in the 10th over, needing 124 runs for victory from the last ten overs.
Zaman returned to remove Chandrika Ragnauth (04), but the left-handed Khan continued his one-man assault on the bowlers, causing spectators to constantly be on their feet.
A Herculean effort was needed, and Khan loosened his shoulders, reaching his half-century from 37 balls. Khan wielded his bat in the dying stages of the match, taking the equation to 49 from 12 balls.
Captain Siddique Mohamed bowled a splendid penultimate over, giving away just eight runs, which essentially won the match.
For his efforts, Khan finished unbeaten on 73 (6x4s; 2x6s), with Captain Lokeram Narine (15) being bowled off the final ball.
Earlier, against the backdrop of lush greens and towering coconut trees, Jaguars inserted themselves on a surface with an appreciable amount of grass, and got off to a flyer, thanks to some fantastic stroke-play from the in-from Zaman.
Anything short or even fractionally wide was given the treatment. The power play overs were finished, and Jaguars had 43 on the board without being breached, and the right-handed Zaman was well placed on 28 from 19 balls.
Safraz Mohamed (16), who played the anchor role in the early stages, began opening his arms, dispatching the left-arm spin of Khan into one of the nearby house lots to reach the 50-run opening partnership landmark.
Two balls later, Khan had his revenge when Narine pulled off a diving effort at short extra-cover, breaking the stance in the seventh over.
Nokta Moses, who scored a century against the same team during the preliminary rounds, would have been licking his lips over the possibility of cashing in big again, but could muster a score of only 17 (1×4;1×6).
The innings defining partnership came from Beesham Moses and Zaman, who carried the total from 85 for 2 in the 12th over to 129 in the 16th over.
Having kept the ball-boys busy for most of his innings, hitting ten fours and four towering sixes, Zaman finally fell, after facing 42 deliveries for his delightful 72.
Beesham continued the assault in his absence, powerfully pulling off-spinner Manbodh over mid-wicket for a massive six. The up-tempo innings was, however, cut short when he attempted an unnecessary single, to be run-out for 38 (4x4s 2x6s) from 21 balls.
Mohamed added the final touches with a quick 15 (2x4s 1×6) from seven balls, setting the platform from a challenging total.
Khan, for his efforts, finished with 2 for 35 from his allotted overs; while Manbodh was the other wicket-taker with 1 for 39.
Nokota won both the highest wicket taker (15 wickets) award and the leading run scorer (172 runs) award of the tournament. (Akeem Greene)
