ORLANDO Lyons, captain of Boscobel, had high praises for national representitive Alwyn Williams who displayed destructive form in leading the St Mary side to a first Social Development Commission (SDC)/Wray & Nephew National Twenty20 cricket title with a seven-wicket win over White Horses of St Thomas in Sunday’s final.

Williams, who earlier took two for 38 while bowling medium pace, assisted his team in restricting White Horses to 139-9 from their allotment before returning to score a 54-ball even 100, seeing Boscobel to 140-3 with 24 balls to spare.

The left-handed opening batsman smashed 10 boundaries and six maximums to ensure Boscobel pocketed the $1.5-million prize in front of a massive turnout at Port Rhoades Sports Club (Noranda Bauxite) in Discovery Bay, St Ann.

An overwhelmed Lyons could not contain his emotions while reflecting on Williams’ breathtaking innings, which also ensured they ended the competition with their unbeaten record intact.

“We knew once it’s under 140 with the quality batting we have, I know we would have chased it down. It was most definitely a brilliant innings from Alwyn and I want to say thanks to him. He told me last night [Saturday] that he was going to deliver and he came out and did that, so I want to say thanks to him again for putting out his best,” Lyons said in a post-game interview.

Jowayne Robinson was the standout player for White Horses, posting a top score of 56 off 29 balls, inclusive of two boundaries and six big sixes. The towering player also snared two for 25 from four overs, but he and his teammates to had settle for the $750,000 runners-up prize.

Though ruing his team’s missed opportunity to post a bigger target, White Horses Captain Fabian Bennett lauded Williams for his classy performance.

“I don’t think we put enough runs on the board but I think it was a brilliant innings from Alwyn and I want to congratulate him on that innings — which was massive,” Bennett said.

White Horses won the toss and opted to bat first. But they struggled to get going and lost their first three wickets — Mark Campbell (14), Yahvi Gould (2) and Jaer Campbell (18) — cheaply and were left in a spot of bother at 45 for three in the eighth over.

However, Robinson and Fitzgerald Anderson combined for a 33-run, fourth-wicket stand that steadied the innings and helped White Horses past the 100-run mark.

Despite losing Anderson shortly after, Robinson continued to chart the course with a few lusty blows, much to the delight of the spectators who were eager to snare a catch over the ropes to pocket a $6,000 price.

Even after Robinson went, bowled by Tyrone Daley at 118-6, Whitehorses seemed poised for a competitive target with five overs yet to be bowled. But it was not to be as the remaining batsmen offered very little, with three wickets falling in quick succession for a mere 21 runs.

Kevin Daley was the pick of the Boscobel bowling with 3-21 from three overs as Tyrone Daley (no relation) shared the other wickets with Williams.

Boscobel’s response was was swift and precise, with Williams being the aggressor in a 47-run opening stand with Maurice Harrow.

Despite losing Harrow for nine in the fifth over, Williams raced along, raising his half-century off a mere 23 balls. He again led the way in an 85-run second-wicket partnership with Tyrone Daley, placing Boscobel on the cusp of victory.

After Williams fell, Daley and Lyons ticked off the remaining runs, but with the scores level Daley was bowled by Wallace, leaving Oshane Innis to grab the winning run.