By Sham Samaroo
June 6, 2010
> Orlando Baker won the Man of the Match
> Aditya Thyagarajan and Carl Wright in match winning 37-run partnership
> Steve Massiah bagged 3 for 21
USA rolled over Canada by 5 wickets to win the ICC Americas T20 championship in Bermuda. Winning this inaugural T20 Cup was sweet revenge for USA, after having failed to defend the 50 over title it won in 2008, and in the process losing to Canada by 9 wickets earlier in the week.
Today, however, the USA bowlers left no room for error. Asked to take first strike in the finals, Canada struggled to put together any meaningful partnership. Entrusted with the new ball, Timroy Allen and Lennox Cush responded by snapping up two wickets each as Canada slumped to 16 for 4 in five overs. A 5th –wicket partnership of 44 between Sandeep Jyoti (43 from 32) and Jimmy Hansra (19 from 28) repaired the early damage as Canada limped to 60 for 4 after 12 overs.
But when Orlando Baker removed them both in the space of 18 runs, Canada collapsed in a heap with skipper Steve Massiah bagging 3 for 21. Apart from Jyoti and Hansra, no one made it into double figures as Canada surrendered for a paltry 100.
But USA's neighbor to the north refused to roll over without a fight, and when Khurram Chohan sent back both Cush and Massiah in the 2nd over; the game was well and truly on. Orlando Baker joined opener Sushil Nadkarni at the crease and the two steadied the chase with an invaluable 36-run partnership. Nadkarni scored 25 from 27 with two sixes and one four. And after Nadkarni departed, Aditya Thyagarajan joined Baker and the two took the score to 60 before Sunil Dhaniram removed Baker for a well played 21 from 24 with three fours. Clain Williams fell soon after to leave USA at 64 for 5, and for a second time the game was well and truly on. But Thyagarajan, 27 from 26, and Carl Wright, 21 from 21 saw the red, white and blue safely home without further loss. Orlando Baker won the Man of the Match for his match-winning all round performance.
Team USA in nerve-wracking semifinal win
> Lennox Cush delivered a Man of the Match batting performance
> Timroy Allen and Mohammad Ghous stifled Bermuda
Earlier in the day, Team USA stumbled to a last ball, two-wicket win over Bermuda in the semifinals. Once again, the USA bowlers got the job done restricting Bermuda to 137 for 5 in their allotted 20 overs. Skipper David Hemp led all scores for Bermuda with 47 from 27 with 4 fours and 3 sixes. He was well supported by Chris Foggo, 24; Steven Outerbridge, 18 and extras, 19. Timroy Allen, 2 wickets, and Mohammad Ghous, one, were USA's most successful bowlers. Their four-over spell costing a miserly 14 runs each was instrumental in restricting Bermuda to 137.
However, a disappointing top order collapse saw USA tottering on the verge of elimination at 18 for 3 in the 5th over. Aditya Thyagarajan and Clain Williams stuck around long enough with Lennox Cush to see USA mount a mini-recovery. But when they departed, and Carl Wright followed soon after to leave USA at 65 for 6 in 11 overs, Bermuda had every right to think that they were in it to win it. But Rashard Marshall joined Cush in a game – deciding, 7th – wicket partnership of 56 to see USA recovered to 121 for 7 in the 18th over. But there was still another twist left in the tale as Cush went via the run out route for 65, and Allen, caught without scoring. At 122 for 8 after 18.5 overs, USA still needed another 12 from 7 with two wickets remaining. And Bermuda was right back in it. But a Marshall upper-cut for 6, saw USA breathe a little easier, and with Ghous for company, the two took USA to the finals. Marshall remained undefeated on 25 and Ghous 4. Lennox Cush was declared the Man of the Match for his 65 from 53 that included 5 fours and 4 sixes.