Consecutive half centuries from national all-rounder, Christopher Barnwell, has kept Somerset Cavaliers undefeated in the LA Open 2021 cricket competition.
The tournament is currently being played in the United States.
The right handed Barnwell recently led Cavaliers to victories over Punjab Blue and LA Gladiators.
In the opening match against Punjab Blue, Cavaliers stormed to a 138-run win with former West Indies player Xavier Marshall and Barnwell forging a 138-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Cavaliers won the toss and elected to take first strike, posting 251 for three from their 20-over allotment.
They then limited Gladiators to 113 for nine from their quota.
Captain, Chandrapaul Hemraj was dismissed for just two but Kennar Lewis and Marshall added 87 for the second wicket. Lewis was the more aggressive in the partnership, hitting five sixes and six fours on his way to 69 from 31 balls before he was leg before wicket to Jafar Naqvi (2-41). Marshall made an unbeaten 92 from 45 balls, laced with eight sixes and five fours while Barnwell offered solid support with 66 not out from 32 balls. His innings featured four sixes and six fours.
Uzair Siddiqui was the other bowler for Punjab Blue to get in the wickets’ column after removing Chadwick Walton for 15 to end with 1-58.
Punjab Blue, in their turn at the crease, found partnerships hard to come by. Siddiqui returned to top score with 21 before being bowled by Guyana Amazon Warriors’ left-arm spinner, Ashmead Nedd. Iftiekar Ahmed and Abhinandan Rissam both chipped in with 20 while extras contributed 18 but consistent fall of wickets dogged the chase.
Nikhil Dutta was the pick of the bowers with 3-22 while former South African seamer, Rusty Theron, bagged 2-19. Nedd ended with 2-20 while Karima Gore returned 1-17.
In the second encounter, Cavaliers secured a 32-run win over Gladiators. Cavaliers won the toss and opted to bat first once again and posted 167 for seven. Gladiators were bowled out for 133 in 19.2 overs.
A top order collapse saw Cavaliers in an uncomfortable position of 3-33 when Marshall was bowled by Brynley Richards off the first ball of the seventh over. Cavaliers slipped further with Walton back in the shed to leave them 4-51 but Barnwell and Sherfane Rutherford revived the innings with a 66-run partnership.
Barnwell raced to 60 from 37 balls, hitting four sixes and five fours along the way while his countryman, Rutherford blasted four sixes and one four on his way to a 17-ball 38. Dutta chipped in with a 26-run cameo to see Cavaliers over the 150-run mark. Zaki Sultani (2-20) and Richards (2-31) were the leading bowlers for Gladiators with Ruchir Joshi and Abhishek Paradkar picking up one wicket a piece.
In reply, the ladiators’ batsmen were no match for Gore who bagged 3-19. Theron and Rutherford grabbed two wickets for 16 and 25 respectively while Nedd picked up 1-11.
Former Guyana Amazon Warriors wicketkeeper Steven Katwaroo top scored with 34 from 20 balls. His innings was highlighted by two sixes and four fours. David White and Paradkar both made 20 but no other batsman passed 12.