Defending champions Fort King George Gunners stormed into the final of the 2024 Chief Secretary's Bago T10 final on June 6 when they got a 37-run victory against Rainforest Rangers at the Cyd Gray Sporting Complex, Roxborough, Tobago.
Both teams entered the final day of the tournament's preliminary phase with an eye on an automatic spot in the June 8 final. However, there could only be one winner and the Gunners cemented their spot in the grand finale on the back of a strong batting performance from former West Indies under-19 player Joshua James.
Batting first, Gunners got to a healthy score of 111 for six from their allotted ten overs, with James top-scoring with a typically aggressive knock of 41 from 18 balls. The strapping allrounder clouted five sixes and the solitary four in his innings, and he shared in a telling 61-run partnership with opening batsman Shakeel Johnson for the third wicket.
Johnson offered good support for James as he struck 29 runs off 22 balls, with two sixes and two fours. Trinidad and Tobago Red Force allrounder Navin Bidaisee chipped in with 16 from nine balls.
Despite having ace Red Force batsman Jason Mohammed and the tournament's leading run-scorer Cephas Cooper in their ranks, the Rangers struggled in their chase and were restricted to a modest 77 for three. Cooper top-scored with an unbeaten 27 from 15 balls, with Josh Telemaque adding 18.
Gunners captain Kieshawn Dillon (two for ten) delivered an exceptional spell, and he accounted for the scalps of Mohammed (nine) and opening batsman Christopher Vincent (ten) in the fifth over to put his team firmly in the ascendancy.
Both teams finished the preliminary phase with four wins and two losses, but the Gunners booked their spot in the final with a superior net run rate.
The Rangers got their chance for redemption after press time on June 7 when they met the third-placed Buccoo Reef Divers in the eliminator match.
Buccoo Reef advanced to the eliminator match despite falling to a ten-run loss to the cellar-placed Little Tobago Islanders on Thursday. The aggressive Mbeki Joseph smashed a fifty as the Islanders posted 120 for three, before restricting Buccoo Reef to 110 for six. The Islanders were eliminated from the tourney.
The Buccoo Reef team includes players such as 2024 Dream11 Bago T10 MVP Jesse Bootan and former Twenty/20 World Cup winner Lendl Simmons.
The winner of the tournament will receive a $40,000 prize, with the runners-up pocketing $20,000. The third-placed team will receive $15,000, while the Islanders will walk away with $7,000.
Summarised Scores:
Fort King George Gunners: 114/6 (Joshua James 41, Shakeel Johnson 29; Keil Ross 3/8) vs Rainforest Rangers: 77/3 (Cephas Cooper 27, Josh Telemaque 18; Kieshwn Dillon 2/10). Gunners won by 37 runs.
Little Tobago Islanders: 120/3 (Mbeki Joseph 50, Olando James 36 not out, Akel Quashie 28; Dillon Douglas 1/7) vs Buccoo Reef Divers: 110/6 (Dejourn Charles 29, Jayden Kent 20; Mikkel Govia 2/19). Islanders won by 10 runs.
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