Hero CPL T20 Playoff 2 Devcich powers Patriots to tomorrow’s Semi-final in T&T

Sep 13, 2018 Sports

Glenn Phillips smashes a maximum

Story by Sean Devers; Photos by Zaheer Mohamed
Last night at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, St Kitts & Nevis Patriots moved a step closer to their first CPL title when they beat two-time Champions Jamaica Tallawahs by two wickets with one ball to spare in the second playoff in a replica result of the first when Warriors beat defending Champions TKR to advance to Sunday’s Final in T&T.
Patriots will now face TKR in rematch of last year’s final in this year’s semi-final tomorrow in the Twin Island Republic. A high class 103 by 21-year-old Glen Phillips from 63 balls with nine fours and six sixes led Jamaica but only Ross Taylor who made 33, past 20 as the Tallawahs made 191-5 off 20 overs.
Ben Cutting had 2-45 for the Patriots who responded with 193-8 in 19.5 overs as Cutting ended the contest with his second six and finished on 17. Anton Devcich top scored with 50 (5×3 3×6) from 23 balls but only Skipper Chris Gayle, who hit two fours and a six in 26 reached 25.
Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi had 3-36 and Oshane Thomas took 3-43 for the winners. Watched by a fair sized crowd of about 7,000, Patriots won the toss and asked Tallawahs to bat first on another slow track and struck in the third over when Johnson Charles (3) fell to

Anton Devcich top scored for the Patriots

Fabian Allen at 9-1.
But Phillips, who took his runs tally to 457, added 70 for second wicket with Taylor and played several entertaining shots before Taylor lifted his head and missed a ‘cow lash’ and was bowled by Cutting, when well set for a big score to leave Tallawahs at 79-1.
Rovman Powell (15) and Andre Russell (10) departed in the space of 37 runs to leave Tallawahs on 149-4 in the 17th over as Phillips, the second youngest behind Hetymer to score a CPL ton, continued to assault the bowlers with an array of audacious shots all around the ground.
Phillips, who played eight T20 matches for New Zealand, batted from start to finish and his second T20 century and first in the CPL was posted in 57 balls and was decorated with nine fours and six sixes as he joined his skipper Russell, Kerion Pollard of St. Lucia Stars and Warriors’ Hetymer as the CPL centurions this season.
Phillips and David Miller who hit two sixes and a four in an unbeaten 19 added 42 in 3.5 overs before Phillips was bowled by Cuttings of the last ball of the innings. When the Patriots began their run chase for a place in tomorrow’s semi-final in Trinidad, they lost Antiguan Devon Thomas at 16-1 after had blasted the fiery 21-year-old Oshane Thomas for three fours in a six-ball in 13.
Rassie van der Dussen stroked Russell for a couple of boundaries while Skipper Chris Gayle, who lofted Ish Sodhi for six, added 46 for

Ish Sodhi (center) is being congratulated by Ross Taylor (left) and Glenn Phillips fter picking up another wicket.

the second wicket before they were both removed with the score on 62 by the Indian leg-spinner in the 10th over.
Devcich tried his best the hold the middle order together and along with Fabian Allen carried the Patriots to 118-8 with a partnership 56 runs before Allen, whose cameo of 23 lasted just 10 balls and included a four and two sixes, provided Sodhi with his third wicket.
Brandon King dumped three sixes in his eight-ball 21 before he was bowled by Thomas at 157 while Tallawahs sunk into more trouble when Devcich was dismissed by Thomas in the 17th over without addition to the score.
Evin Lewis (8) fell to Thomas while Carlos Braithwaite who dumped Powell for six was caught by Russell at long-on off the next ball with nine needed from three balls. Powell bowled three wides while Cutting hit the next ball to long-on and refused the single. A nervous Powell then bowled a leg side wide reducing the target to six from two.
Cutting hit Powell back over his head for six to lift his team into the semi-final with a ball to spare to send the Patriots into their first semi-final after a direct route to last year’s final.

Photos saved as Members of the St. Kitts and Nevis Patriots celebrate their victory.