Mayers’ double-wicket finale leads Barbados Pride to nail-biting triumph
Key Points(5)
- Mayers, with nerves of steel, only allowed two runs from his first four deliveries before dismissing top-scorer Jeremy Solozano for 85 and tailender Darius Martin for a golden duck.
- Solozano, who had kept the Volcanoes’ hopes alive, was caught attempting a big shot to long-off, finding Kemar Smith instead.
- Solozano forged crucial lower-order partnerships, first adding 19 runs with Darel Cyrus and then another 22 with Kenneth Dember, bringing the Volcanoes tantalizingly close to an upset win.
- However, Mayers’ decisive final over turned the tide, leaving Pride victorious for the fourth time in five matches.</p> <p style="font-weight: 400;">Reflecting on the victory, Mayers said, “The boys showed a lot of heart out there.
- Kevin Wickham top-scored with 47, while Leniko Boucher (43), Kemar Smith (34 not out), and Mayers himself (33) all contributed valuable runs to build critical partnerships.
Port of Spain, Trinidad – Barbados Pride captain Kyle Mayers delivered a breath-taking final-over performance to guide his team to an eight-run victory over the Windward Islands Volcanoes in a tense Regional Super50 match at Queen’s Park Oval on Monday.
Mayers clinched the win by taking two wickets off his last two balls, ending the Volcanoes’ chase and securing a hard-fought victory via the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern (DLS) method.
In a rain-affected match reduced to 46 overs, the Volcanoes needed 11 runs from the final over to surpass the Pride’s total of 239 for nine. Mayers, with nerves of steel, only allowed two runs from his first four deliveries before dismissing top-scorer Jeremy Solozano for 85 and tailender Darius Martin for a golden duck. Solozano, who had kept the Volcanoes’ hopes alive, was caught attempting a big shot to long-off, finding Kemar Smith instead. Mayers quickly followed with Martin’s dismissal, ending the innings with the Volcanoes just eight runs short at 237.
Solozano’s impressive 85 from 88 balls
Solozano’s impressive 85 from 88 balls kept the Volcanoes in the contest, even as they stumbled to 196 for seven in the 41st over. Solozano forged crucial lower-order partnerships, first adding 19 runs with Darel Cyrus and then another 22 with Kenneth Dember, bringing the Volcanoes tantalizingly close to an upset win. However, Mayers’ decisive final over turned the tide, leaving Pride victorious for the fourth time in five matches.
Reflecting on the victory, Mayers said, “The boys showed a lot of heart out there. Every ball in the last over counted, and we kept our composure when it mattered most.”
Mayers finished with a solid bowling figure of 3-50, with notable support from Dominic Drakes and Javed Leacock, who each picked up two wickets.
A challenging total of 239
Earlier, the Pride set a challenging total of 239 after winning the toss and choosing to bat, despite their batsmen struggling to capitalize on early starts. Kevin Wickham top-scored with 47, while Leniko Boucher (43), Kemar Smith (34 not out), and Mayers himself (33) all contributed valuable runs to build critical partnerships. After stumbling to 73 for four, Wickham and Mayers steadied the innings with a 47-run partnership for the fifth wicket. Following Mayers’ departure, Wickham added another 43 runs with Jomel Warrican (22) to push the total to 163 for five.
Smith then provided a late burst, hammering an unbeaten 34 from just 25 deliveries, including three fours and a six, which helped the Pride post a competitive score. Volcanoes’ off-spinner Kenneth Dember was the standout bowler, claiming 3-33 in his 10-over spell, which included the key wickets of Boucher and Demetrius Richards.
The thrilling finish cements Pride’s position in the competition, with their fourth victory boosting their standing as they eye a place in the next round.
