MONK KOK, Hong Kong, CMC – Marlon Samuels stroked a half-century in a steady all-round performance to inspire Kowloon Cantons to one of two wins in the Hong Kong T20 Blitz here yesterday.
Playing the Mission Road Ground, the West Indies right-hander struck 51 from 36 deliveries as Cantons convincingly defeated Samuel Badree’s Hong Kong Island United by 44 runs.
Asked to bat, Cantons were inspired by Samuels’s attractive innings as they eased to 168 for seven off their 20 overs.
Pakistani Ashar Zaidi chipped in with 46 from 36 balls while former Barbados and West Indies opener Dwayne Smith got 22.
The right-handed Smith hit three fours and a six in his 21-ball innings as he added 41 for the first wicket with Captain Babar Hayat who made 21.
Both fell in successive overs as part of a slide that left Cantons on 52 for three in the ninth over but Samuels arrived to pummel three fours and three sixes in a 90-run fourth wicket partnership with Zaidi, to rescue the innings.
West Indies leg-spinner Badree went wicket-less from his four overs which cost 31 runs.
In reply, Island United were bundled out for 124 off 19 overs, with Samuels returning with his off-spin to help undermine the innings with two for 12 from two overs.
England batsman Ian Bell top-scored with 59.
In their second game of the day, Cantons beat Galaxy Gladiators by 64 runs with Smith striking 38 off a mere 14 balls, with four fours and three sixes.
Samuels managed just 15 this time around but was again among the wickets, finishing with two for 17 from four overs.
