BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Jamaica reached the semi-finals of the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament, after a devastating spell from Krishmar Santokie set them up for an eight-wicket victory over the Netherlands in the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament yesterday.
The left-arm medium-fast bowler enhanced his reputation as possibly the best T20 bowler in the Caribbean, taking four wickets for 13 runs from 3.4 overs, as the Jamaicans dismissed the Netherlands for 116 in 19.4 overs in their final Group-B match at Kensington Oval.
Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller supported with three for 22 from four overs and left-arm fast bowler Sheldon Cotterrell collected two for 25 from four overs, as all but one of the Dutch wickets fell to a left-arm bowler.
Eric Szwarczynski hit the top score of 44 from 45 balls for the Dutch and opener Stephan Myburgh made 31 from 27 balls.
A consistent batting performance down the order from the Jamaica helped them successfully chase 117 for victory.
Nkrumah Bonner led the way with 35 from 34 balls, Marlon Samuels scored 30 not out from 29 balls, and Shawn Findlay got 23 not out.
The victory confirmed a place for the Jamaicans in the Final Four today, when they will face Windward Islands in the first semi-final at the same venue.
The outcome was never in any doubt, after the Jamaicans get a solid start from Bonner and Danza Hyatt. They put on 49 for the first wicket.
Hyatt was caught at extra cover off Pieter Seelar for 19 in the ninth over before Bonner was caught at long-on off Ahsan Malik in the 12th over.
An unbroken stand of 51 between Samuels and Findlay then ushered the Jamaicans over the finish line.
Earlier, Santokie undermined the late charge from the Netherlands, grabbing his hat-trick over the span of two overs, as the Dutch lost their last six wickets for six runs in 13 deliveries.
Santokie had Szwarczynski caught at deep mid-wicket off the last ball of his third over – the 18th of the innings – and followed up with the scalps of Mudassar Bukhari and Tim van der Gugten off the first two balls of the final over.
Miller had dragged the rug from under the Dutch top order, after Cotterrell made the breakthrough, when he bowled Michael Swart for three in the fourth over.
The left-arm spinner had Myburgh, Alex Kervezee and Dutch captain Peter Borren all caught in the deep, trying to clear the boundary, as the Netherlands failed to build a meaningful partnership.
