The SAIL Gros Islet Knights took full advantage of home comforts on Tuesday night, beating Ackelles City Blasters by three wickets to advance to their first Saint Lucia Premier League T20 final. Despite a challenging chase, the Knights, who have been in scintillating form all season, dug deep, with multiple players stepping up to seal the win. They will meet the SCCA South Castries Lions with the fifth SPL title on the line this Sunday.
After winning the toss and opting to field at the Gros Islet Playing Field, the Knights held the City boys to 154-9. The heavy-hitting top four was held in check, Jamaal James out for one, Stephen Abraham for duck, and Stephen Naitram for 13 by the end of the fourth over. Tarrique Edward had the initial breakthrough, ending with 1-22 from his four overs.
After Dornan Edward went for a quickfire 13, inclusive of three fours, Vernilius Gabriel and Jaden Elibox crafted a recovery. They added 59 runs in 5.2 overs, before Gabriel fell for 31. He hit three sixes and a four in his knock. Wickets fell regularly thereafter. Jaden Elibox went with the score on 110-7. He made 33 off 26 balls, comprising three sixes and a four. Dillan John and Tyler Venner came together with nine wickets down and only 118 runs on the tins. They added 34 runs, John 15 from 11, and Venner 19 from 12.
Lee John took 1-26 from his four overs. Royce Paul added 2-26, Tyrel Chicot 2-28, and Darvin Forde 2-52.
Kimani Melius got the Gros Islet chase off to a rollicking start, plundering 22 runs from the first four legal deliveries he faced. He added no further runs before departing in the second over, but with the run rate at 19.5, City Blasters appeared to be in trouble.
Jard Goodman hit 14 runs from his first 10 balls, with two sixes and a four. Noelle Leo hit three fours and two lusty sixes to get to 26 off his 10 balls, but was dismissed in the fifth over. After two lean overs, Khan Elcock came to the party with two sixes. At the halfway stage, Gros Islet were 115-2. Edward broke the third-wicket partnership, taking Goodman for 32 off 19 balls and Elcock for 25 off 20, both in the same over. With 13 balls gone since the last boundary, Tyler Sookwa had Dominic Auguste out for a duck. Edward then removed Tyrel Chicot for four, finally bringing the Gros Islet run rate under 10.
Tarrique Edward stood tall, however. Despite the dismissal of Lee John for two, Edward batted sensibly to score an unbeaten 20 off 24 balls with two fours, including the winning runs. Royce Paul stuck around with seven runs from 12 balls.
Dornan Edward ended with excellent figures of 3-17. Jaden Elibox took 2-31, Dillan John 1-35 and Tyler Sookwa 1-24.
Knights head coach Alton Crafton reacted to the team’s accomplishment. “Our first time in the SPL [final]. A few years ago, we started with a very young team. But that team, we are maturing now and we are ready to win that final,” said Crafton.
“Generally, people had to raise their hand. We have batting going way down. The guy to come next was Ashton Alexander. He’s a batter. So we have batting going way down, and it’s good to give people the chance to perform.
“We did very well. We took wickets at regular intervals against Central. So they never really had a good base. So all in all, we had a really good all-round performance tonight. Lost about five wickets too many, but we would take the victory any day.”
In their regular season matchup in April, the South Castries Lions beat the Knights by three wickets. Whilst the Knights are in their first final, the Lions are in the title game for the first time since 2019. They won their only title in 2018.
