O’Brien and Taylor sealed the deal for the Red Steel with an unbeaten 145-run partnership
Image courtesy of: cplt20.com
The Red Steel’s batting duo of Kevin O’Brien and Ross Taylor scored 90 and 51 respectively to crush the Antigua Hawksbills by nine wickets in Antigua.
Red Steel captain Dwayne Bravo made the right choice to bowl first as Antigua opener Danza Hyatt was caught behind off the bowling of Fidel Edwards for eight runs.
Antigua skipper Marlon Samuels only made 13 runs before he was caught by Darren Bravo off the bowling of Kevon Cooper.
Australia batsman Ben Dunk scored 26 runs before he was run out by Darren Bravo.
David Hussey and Devon Thomas stabilised the innings with a 66-run partnership before Hussey was caught by O’Brien at long-off off the bowling of Sulieman Benn for 30.
Thomas went on to score 38 off 38 balls, which included four boundaries and a six, before he was caught behind off the bowling of Cooper.
Carlos Brathwaite failed to have an impact with the bat as he was caught by Edwards at short midwicket off the bowling of Dwayne Bravo for three runs.
Bravo struck again just five balls later when he dismissed Sheldon Cottrell caught and bowled for 16.
Rahkeem Cornwall mustered 11 runs before he was caught by Samuel Badree at backward point off the bowling of Cooper.
Antigua eventually finished on 151/8 off their 20 overs.
Cooper was the pick of the bowlers with three wickets, while Bravo snapped up two and Benn and Edwards chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Chasing 152 to win, the Red Steel got off to a dismal start as opening batsman Kennar Lewis was caught by Ben Laughlin at deep midwicket off the bowling of Cornwall for two runs.
From that point on, the Red Steel took complete control as O’Brien and Taylor amassed an unbeaten 145-run partnership, during which both batsmen brought up their half-centuries, to lead the Red Steel to a convincing nine-wicket win.
O’Brien ended up scoring 90 off 49 balls, which included five boundaries and an incredible seven sixes, while Taylor remained undefeated on 51 off 46 deliveries, which included three boundaries and a six.
Cornwall was the only bowler to take a wicket.
O’Brien was named Man of the Match for his sparkling knock of 90.