December 5, 2024
Victoria secured their place in the final of the ExxonMobil Global Super League after an emphatic 75-run victory over Hampshire Hawks on Thursday at the Guyana National Stadium in Providence.
Opting to bat first, Victoria posted an impressive 170 in their allotted 20 overs, the highest total of the tournament so far.
The opening pair of Blake McDonald (59) and Sanjay Krishnamurthi (77) set the tone with a blistering 139-run partnership.
McDonald rotated the strike effectively, while Krishnamurthi’s aggressive play, which included several boundaries, kept the scoreboard ticking.
Despite the strong start, Hampshire Hawks fought back, dismissing the two openers, with Scott Edwards (9) and Jonathan Wells (10) falling cheaply.
Sonny Baker was the standout bowler for Hampshire, finishing with figures of 2/24.
Liam Dawson and Benny Howell also contributed, each picking up a wicket.
Chasing 171 for victory, Hampshire Hawks needed to reach the target in 16.4 overs to leapfrog the Amazon Warriors into second place.
However, their batting lineup collapsed under pressure, with only Joe Weatherley (18) and James Fuller (16) offering any resistance.
The rest of the batsmen were dismissed for a total of just 95 runs.
Victoria’s bowling attack, led by Callum Stow, who took 4/17, proved too strong.
Stow’s performance made him the tournament’s leading wicket-taker with nine wickets.
Jason Smith also made a crucial contribution with 2/28.
With this commanding victory, Victoria advance to the Global Super League finals, where they await their opponent, which will be determined by the outcome of the upcoming match between Lahore Qalanders and Rangpur Raiders.
Sanjay Krishnamurthi expressed his excitement after the match, highlighting the team’s good cricket and the positive energy heading into the finals.
The next match will see Lahore Qalanders battle Rangpur Raiders at 19:00 hours at the same venue.