In a spectacular display of power hitting, Babonneau secured their place in the Prime Minister’s T20 Cup final with an emphatic eight-wicket victory over defending champions Central Castries during Wednesday’s semifinal clash at Mindoo Philip Park.
The highly anticipated rematch of last year’s championship decider began with Central Castries winning the toss and opting to bat first. However, their innings never gained momentum as Babonneau’s bowling unit delivered a disciplined performance. Spin twins Johnnel Eugene (3-16) and Larry Edward (2-23) orchestrated a stranglehold on the scoring rate, supported effectively by pace duo Sanjay Hayle and Sacchin Cepal. Central Castries struggled throughout their allocation, managing only 137-7 with Stephen Naitram’s 39-run contribution standing as the lone resistance.
What followed was an extraordinary exhibition of aggressive batting that transformed what many anticipated as a tight contest into a one-sided demolition. Opening batsman Dane Edward unleashed a breathtaking assault on the Central Castries bowling attack, registering a half-century in under 20 deliveries during the powerplay overs. His blistering knock of 93 runs from just 32 deliveries included a barrage of boundaries and massive sixes, single-handedly accounting for 65% of his team’s required total.
The match concluded in spectacular fashion when Babonneau sealed victory in just nine overs, the winning runs coming via a thunderous six that symbolized their dominance throughout the contest. The comprehensive nature of this victory stood in stark contrast to last year’s final between these same teams, which had been decided in the final over.
With parliamentary representative John Paul Estephane among the spectators, Babonneau now advances to face Choiseul in Saturday’s championship final at the same venue, seeking to claim the prestigious T20 title.