CCC scrape into semis with one-wicket win

The two Powells, Rovman and Christopher, teamed up to put Combined Campuses and Colleges into the semi-finals of the Nagico Super50 with a one-wicket win with a ball to spare over Guyana at Port-of-Spain on Monday. A 48-run ninth-wicket stand between the pair breathed life into CCC's chase, which had been floundering in the 43rd over at 112 for 8 in pursuit of Guyana's 167 for 9.

Rovman was dismissed for 31 after a skied slog off Christopher Barnwell came down into the hands of wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble near square leg to leave Chris needing to score 12 off the last seven balls to win with last man Ryan Austin. The equation stood at nine off three when Austin edged a four past the keeper and on the following delivery a wide was called while Austin scampered through for an extra run to get back on strike as CCC now needed three off two to win.

Raymon Reifer bowled the next ball to Chris in the blockhole to induce a drive back to the bowler but Reifer couldn't field cleanly and the ball still had enough force after the deflection to beat long on for the winning runs. Chris ended unbeaten on 27 off 29 balls. Paul Palmer top-scored in CCC's chase with 32.

Guyana had won the toss and elected to bat first but crawled along despite having wickets in hand. A 55-run fifth wicket partnership between Royston Crandon (39) and Shiv Chanderpaul (33) produced the bulk of the runs in the innings as Guyana entered the 40th over at 99 for 4. Bramble and Veerasammy Permaul boosted Guyana with 39 runs from the 47th-49th overs but the slow start cost them in the end. In addition to his batting heroics, Rovman took 3 for 20 in the first innings.

Johnson Charles turned in the highest score of this year's tournament with 177 off 124 balls as Windwards defeated Barbados by 55 runs at Shaw Park. Charles added 98 for the first wicket with Devon Smith (37) and another 83 for the fourth wicket with Keddy Lesporis (32) as Barbados struggled to contain the Windwards batting onslaught. Shane Shillingford and Sunil Ambris scored 45 apiece and teamed up for a 62-run sixth-wicket stand to give their side's bowlers plenty of runs to defend.

Captain Kevin Stoute got the Barbados chase off to an excellent start, scoring 82 off 71 balls before he was dismissed at the end of the 24th over to make it 146 for 3. An 87-run stand followed between Sharmarh Books (61) and Shai Hope (58) but when both men fell it opened the door for Delorn Johnson to wipe out the tail with ease. A CCC loss would have put Windwards into the semis with Guyana but by nightfall their hopes were dashed.