Spanish Town Titans JPL T20 champions
SPANISH Town Titans were yesterday crowned champions of the TEF Jamaica Premier League (JPL) Twenty20 tournament when they eked out a four-wicket victory over Ocho Rios Chargers at Treasure Beach Sports Park.
The Titans pocket the $1-million cash prize and the coveted trophy, while the Chargers were awarded $300,000 for their efforts.
Scores: Ocho Rios Chargers 134-7 (20 overs); Spanish Town Titans 135-6 (19.2).
Sent in to bat, the chargers got off to a slow start after losing danger man Jermaine Harrison in the first over with two runs on the board.
John Campbell and Rasheed Outar added 38 runs for the second wicket as they tried to repair the damage.
However, Campbell who was the aggressor in the partnership, eventually went caught off the bowling of Peat Salmon. The left-handed batsman slammed three fours and one six on his way to a top-score of 30 runs, which came off 23 balls.
The Chargers were left to play catch up from 73 for four, after Outar (seven) and Marlon Pinnock (25) both went off the bowling of leg-spinner Odean Brown. Wicket-keeper batsman Aldaine Thomas (15) and Ordane Hutchinson (17) carved out a 33-run stand for the fifth wicket, before they were undone by off-spinner Peat Salmon and their innings wrapped up.
Salmon led the bowling with three for 22, supported by Gavan Brown two for 16 and Odean Brown two for nine.
A 60-run opening stand between Shacoya Thomas and Tamar Lambert got the Titans’ run chase off to a positive start, before Lambert fell cheaply for 24. Captain Danza Hyatt took up the task and fired a quick 20 before he, too, fell cheaply. The Titans found themselves in a spot of bother as they lost three quick wickets for just 17 runs.
Horace Miller (zero), Peat Salmon (one) and Darnell McCallum (13) all failed to show up for the party. But Brandon King (21) and Odean Brown (11) held their cool and took the Titans across the line.
Bryan Buchanan (three for 36) took most wickets, supported by Kemar Allen’s two for eight.
Odean Brown and Peat Salmon were named Player of the Game and Most Valuable Player, respectively.
Winning captain Hyatt lauded the team’s effort.
“To come in a final and restrict a team to 134 is good bowling by my team and we went out there and got the target. Even though it went down to the final over, I would like to say well done to my team,” he told the Jamaica Observer.
Meanwhile, his counterpart Joseph Palmer was left disappointed.
“I think we bowled very poorly in the latter part of the innings and also at the start and that caused us the game,” he lamented.