GUARDIAN?GENERAL?Barbados Youth and The Barbados Defence Sports Programme (BDFSP) took contrasting paths in securing the last two quarter-final places in Zone A of the Sagicor Twenty20 cricket competition contested yesterday.
The two youthful sides will join Sagicor UWI and Republic Bank St Catherine, who had previously booked spots in the play-offs, with UWI completing an unbeaten run through a comfortable victory over Ince Transport MTW of the First Division.
St Catherine easily claimed the runner-up position in the zone although their match versus Banks Wildey at Samuel Jackman Prescod Polytechnic took a dramatic twist after the scores remained tied following the two innings. However, with the hosts penalized 18 runs for a slow over rate, St Catherine were declared winners.
A sudden heavy shower 15 minutes before the start transformed the Lester Vaughan School ground at Cane Garden, St Thomas, into a virtual pond that ensured that the Youth, who got two points, moved to 18 and a play-off place.
That no-result meant that YMPC and BDFSP were placed in a must-win position and it took an explosive, unbeaten 84 from opener Marlon-Welcome Goodman to lift the BDFSP to 144 for six in 18.2 overs in reply to 143 for four made by the home side at Beckles Road.
The left-handed Goodman thrashed all the host team’s bowlers, smacking 16 threes and four fours off just 46 balls as BDFSP won with 10 balls to spare.
He reserved his harshest treatment for Fidel Edwards, off whom he pummelled 30 of the 33 runs conceded by the West Indies pacer in two overs, in racing to 50 off 20 balls.
Welcome-Goodman and Mario Rampersaud put on 71 for the first wicket as 69 were taken off the six-over Power Play.
Captain Shane Dowrich had earlier propped up YMPC who had slipped to 72 for four in the 11th over, posting 71 with Edwards (20 not out).
