Cayman Islands, Aug 24 New York Strikers rode on Colin Munro’s blazing 44 off 21 balls to beat Boca Raton Trailblazers by seven wickets in the Eliminator and qualify for Qualifier of the Max60 League being held at the Cayman Islands here on Saturday.
Sent into bat, just-retired Australian opener and skipper David Warner smashed a whirlwind unbeaten 55 off 30 balls to power Boca Raton Trailblazers to 106/7 after being sent into bat.
Chasing the imposing total, the opening pair of Brandon McMullen and Colin Munro went hammer and tongs picking up boundaries and sixes at will to race to 27 after 2 overs before Boca Rayton Trailblazers struck the first blood when the former was run out in the next over.
But Munro looked to be in a completely different zone as he used his long handle to great effect and mostly dealt in boundaries and sixes to keep New York Strikers abreast with the asking rate.
Munro clobbered Colin de Grandhomme for three sixes and one four to pick up 24 runs off the fourth over. Just when it looked like Munro was taking the game away from Boca Raton Trailblazers, Jack Jarvis cleaned up the left-hander to keep the contest alive. Munro struck two boundaries and four sixes during his entertaining knock. Towards the end, captain Thisara Perera remained unbeaten on 33 off 15 balls as New York Strikers chased down the target in 8.1 overs.
Earlier, Warner struck six boundaries and two hits over the fence during his knock.
Warner started the innings with a boundary off Isuru Udana before the Sri Lankan left-arm pacer pulled things back and inflicted twin blows in the form of Beau Webster and Peter Hatzoglou in the last two balls of the opening over. While Webster was caught and bowled by Udana, Hatzoglou was snared by Brandon McMullen in the next ball.
Warner, however, went about his business and smashed Mitchell Owen for four and two sixes in the next over to keep the scoreboard ticking. Warner continued his attacking intent and dealt in boundaries and sixes to bring up his fifty in just – balls as wickets kept on tumbling from the other end.
Besides Warner, Jack Wood made 20 off 15 balls while Colin de Grandhomme scored 12 off six deliveries. Towards the end, Jack Jarvis also played a 4-ball 12-run cameo. Udana (2-17) and Ansh Patel (2-14) picked two wickets apiece for the New York Strikers.
Brief scores:
Boca Raton Trailblazers 106/7 in 10 overs (David Warner 55; Ansh Patel 2/14, Isuru Udana 2-17) lost to New York Strikers 112/3 in 8.1 overs (Colin Munro 44, Thisara Perera 33 not out; Peter Hatzoglou 1/16) by 7 wickets.
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