Lallbachana Babulall’s unbeaten 54 in partnership with Greg Persaud’s 18 not-out ensured Shattaville Masters’ nail-biting, one wicket win against Rangers Masters at the match played on Sunday.
Shattaville’s win, at the Leonora Primary School ground, ensures them a place in the Mike’s Pharmacy 15-over countrywide softball finals.
After they lost the toss, Rangers Masters went in to bat on a wet wicket and piled on 164 mainly due to a last wicket stand of 63 runs between Wazir Ali who was left not-out on 20, and Davenand Bissoon who made 27.
But it was Shattaville’s reply with a fighting 64-run partnership last wicket stand that sealed their victory on the last ball of the 25th over to reach 165-9. The team lost four wickets below 40 when they struck but a fighting partnership of 64 between Babulall and Persaud took them to victory with the game going down to the last ball. Babulall was dropped when the team required 10 more runs but as luck would have had it, the ball went for six.
Shattaville Masters are now awaiting the winner of the Industry Super Kings and Trophy Stall Masters match-up in the second semi-final which will be played this Sunday.
Earlier, Rangers lost their first two batsmen with only 10 runs on the board but a fourth wicket partnership of 60 runs took them to 70 before they crumbled to 101-9. However, another partnership made them post a respectable total of 164 before Bissoon went for 27.
Lakeram Persaud bowled for Shattaville Masters, taking 3-22 from five overs and Rampersaud Sankar, 2-16 from overs.