The Barras Board XI captained by national skipper, Assad Vala, won the Isuzu Barras T20 Bash Grand Final in a last ball thriller at Amini Park on Sunday. In a day that culminated in the official announcement of the ICC T20 World Cup Barras squad the final was a fitting entre.
Vala won the toss and elected to send the Legends into bat with the decision paying dividends immediately as Ura was dimissed by Diho without scoring. CJ Amini (5) was the next to go before L Siaka (14) and S Bau (16) put on a steadying partnership. However, the Legends lost regular wickets with the Board XI bowlers running through their middle order. Damien Ravu was the last man out after he had added an invaluable 25 runs to lift his sides total to 110.
Bobby Diho continues to show his skill taking 3/13 with Hiri Hiri also picking up 3/25, Sema Kamea and Jason Kila also multiple wicket takers with two each in a dominant display by the Board XI bowling attack.
The opening pair of Toka and Vanua got the Board XI off to a steady start in what seemed to be a very achievable run chase before Vanua (16) was dimissed with the score on 31. Vala joined Toka at the crease and progressed the total to 52 before Vala (10) was bowled by Bau. The Legend bowlers then got a spring in their step removing the next five wickets for a combined 31 runs to put them back in the frame with the Board XI 8/83.
Nosaina Pokana (22) and Bobby Diho (18) then dug in and frustrated the Legends attack, wrestling back control, when Pokana was eventually dimissed by Kabua Vagi on the second last ball the equation was simple, The Board XI needed two runs to win off the last ball. Bobby Diho on strike, facing up to Kabua Vagi, crashed one square to the boundary to secure a dramatic 3 run victory.
All six Legends bowlers took wickets with the spin of Bau and Amini getting two wickets each, although they all toiled hard it was not to be with the Board XI winning the nailbitter. Nosaina Pokana was named player of the final in what must have been a very close decision over last ball hero, Bobby Diho!
Speaking after the game, National Assiatnt Coach, John Ovia, said “ it was a fitting final to a very good Isuzu Bash tournament, you can’t get any closer than that, sometimes it is the lower scoring games that are more exciting and tense. The bowlers were on top today for both sides and todays results showed that our Barra’s lower order batsmen can produce important runs under pressure.Well done to Bobby Diho, always a great feeling to get the job done under that type of game situation, last ball!”
The Barras World Cup squads next game will be a One Day International against Nepal in Oman on the 4th of September.