THE crowds were partying, the sun was shining and the cricket was red hot. It could only mean one thing – another day of SKYECH 6IXTY action from Warner Park.

Undeniably the stand-out performance of the day came from the bats of Amir Jangoo and Raymon Reifer who blasted the ball to all parts as the Jamaica Tallawahs rocketed to the highest score in the SKYECH 6IXTY so far and booked themselves a spot in the semi-final.

When it comes to ferocious batting,, look no further than to this Tallawahs pair.
They brought up the team’s 150 with two balls remaining and put together a staggering partnership of 102. Ten sixes were hit throughout the innings, and it was an incredible display of batting of the highest level as they made 162-3 even finishing with a bang hitting a huge six off the final delivery.

The Royals’ bowlers had no answer for the sublime batting and could only watch as the ball continued to sail to all parts.
Unperturbed by the mammoth total, Rahkeem Cornwall came out with boundaries on the brain and launched four huge sixes in a row. Going for a fifth was a step too far and he was caught on the boundary.

Corbin Bosch and Harry Tector continued to bludgeon the ball and, at the half-way mark in the chase, the Royals were 76-2 and chasing hard. A chase that had looked well out of reach was suddenly looming closer, but there just wasn’t enough firepower in the chase to get the Royals over the line. But there was no miracle for the Royals and the party was over when they lost their sixth wicket on the 59th ball.

The 41-run victory meant the Tallawahs qualify for the semi-finals and will be the team to beat. With Raymon Reifer batting at a 300 strike-rate and taking three-fors, he is a force to be reckoned with.
While fans were having a great day, no one was having more of a party than the two Trinbago Knight Riders teams. Both sides enjoyed emphatic victories over the Guyana Amazon Warriors and both look in fine form as we head towards the business end of the competition.

The change in performance by the Knight Riders’ women was starkly evident yesterday and there’s no ignoring the substantial impact of the return of their captain, the ‘World Boss,’ Deandra Dottin. She led her team to their second victory today as they got revenge on the team that beat them on the opening day.

In a must-win game it was an all-round team performance with the ball and in the field that saw the Warriors dismissed for 33 from just eight overs.
It was ignited by the run-out of Chamari Athapaththu by Sheneta Grimmond and from there, the wickets tumbled. Sune Luus claimed two wickets while Geetika Kodali was again picking up huge names, claiming the wicket of the dangerous Stafanie Taylor for 3. Not one to be far from the action, it took a sensational catch from Dottin to send her opposite number packing.

In response, Dottin and Lee-Ann Kirby were quick to get going. While the Warriors hadn’t managed a single boundary in their innings, the World Boss smashed one off just the second ball. It took them just 3.5 overs to knock off the runs and stay in pursuit of a spot in the final.

They now sit top of the table having won two and because they have the highest number of SKYECH sixes. These will prove hugely important for final positions should teams finish equal on number of wins.
For the men’s side it was also an emphatic win against the Warriors. Tion Webster hit 27 from 23 but it was the 23 off nine balls from Terrance Hinds that pushed them to a competitive total. He hit back-to-back sixes and a four off the final over and finished with a strike rate of 256.

These boundaries, alongside the six smashed by Prasana off the final ball (and the only one he faced) were vital. It was again Odean Smith and Waqar Salamkheil who were the pick of the Warriors’ bowlers. Smith picked up 2-11 while Salamkheil was economical taking a wicket and leaking just seven runs.

The Warriors struggled in their response, much due to a collective bowling effort from the Knight Riders. Jayden Seales was the pick of the bowlers taking 2-10. After losing Shai Hope in the opening over, the Warriors never really got going and found themselves 26-4 at the half-way mark. While Keemo Paul and Heinrich Klassen tried to swing the bat, it wasn’t enough and they fell 47 runs short.

The day also saw an impressive performance by the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots Men who claimed victory over Saint Lucia Kings Men to win by three wickets with 24 balls remaining.
While Charles smashed three SKYECH sixes in the first two overs, the Kings’ run-rate slowed and at 30 balls they were 47-2. Carmichael was on flying form taking two wickets and claiming a run-out as the Kings limped to 66. The chase took just six overs much thanks to Johnson Charles’ 28 including three sixes and two fours.

It was a day of extremes in the SKYECH 6IXTY and those in the crowd had front row seats to cricket’s most exciting new format. Surely more will flock to Warner Park over the weekend as the game nears the finals.