The sixth edition of the Saint Lucia Premier League (SPL) T20, a tournament defined by unexpected twists and standout individual performances, wrapped up in dramatic fashion on May 23, as the undefeated City Blasters claimed the championship title with a lopsided 73-run victory over the Choiseul Craft Masters at the iconic Francis “Baba” Lastic Grounds in Gros Islet.
The two finalists took wildly different trajectories to reach the season’s climax. The City Blasters, the league’s most consistent squad throughout the tournament, finished at the top of the group stage standings and secured their final berth with a win over Gros Islet in the first qualifying round, never dropping a match across the entire campaign. In stark contrast, the Choiseul Craft Masters narrowly scraped into the playoff bracket as the fourth-seeded team, forcing themselves to fight through two elimination matches to earn a spot in the finale: they first upset the Micoud Eagles in the eliminator, then knocked out the Soufriere Titans in the second qualifier to book their place against the tournament favorites.
Hours before the first ball was bowled, rain threatened to delay or even cancel the title decider, but the passing inclement weather failed to put a damper on the electric matchday atmosphere. The ground filled to capacity well before kickoff, with thousands of passionate fans, most clad in the Craft Masters’ signature orange, packing the stands to cheer on their underdog side. While the weather did not stop the match, the wet outfield and leftover moisture from the storm forced organizers to reduce the contest from the standard 20 overs per side to 18 overs.
Winning the toss and electing to bat first, the City Blasters turned the shortened format into an opportunity to showcase their explosive batting power. Overseas import Ryshon Williams led the charge with a blistering half-century, smashing 52 runs off only 17 deliveries to set the tone for the innings. Additional valuable contributions came from Vernillius Gabriel (37 runs), Blasters captain Stephen Naitram (41 runs), and all-rounder McKenny Clarke (35 runs), pushing the side to a daunting total of 219 runs by the end of their 18 overs. For the Craft Masters, medium-pacer Alvinus Simon was the most effective bowler on the day, finishing with impressive figures of three wickets for 36 runs.
Chasing a revised target of 220 runs to claim the title, the Craft Masters needed career-defining performances from their star batting line-up to pull off an upset. Instead, the top order collapsed almost immediately. Star batter Alick Athanaze, who had hit a century on his tournament debut just one match prior, fell leg before wicket to Blasters bowler Dillon John on the very first ball he faced, leaving the side reeling early. Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals, with Clarke emerging as the match-winning bowler for the Blasters, finishing with extraordinary figures of four wickets for only 10 runs from 2.5 overs. While tournament Most Valuable Player Junior Henry chipped in with a quick 29 runs off 13 deliveries, and tailender Bronté Bess scored a late 33, the Craft Masters were eventually bowled out all out for 146 runs, 73 runs short of the target.
Following the final wicket, Blasters captain Naitram shared his unbridled joy at lifting the SPL 6 trophy after an undefeated season, crediting his squad’s depth and consistent performance for the title win. The team, hailing from Saint Lucia’s capital, continued to celebrate their championship victory long into the night.