Sunny start for Kings, Warriors in rain

The Surrey Kings and the Cornwall Warriors got off to a winning start in the Dream11 Jamaica T10 Blast, with victories over the Middlesex Titans and the Surrey Risers in their rain-affected encounter at Sabina Park yesterday.

In the opening fixture of the inaugural tournament, the Surrey Kings eked out a five-run win under the Duckworth Lewis Method (DLM) over the Middlesex Titans after the Kings, asked to take the first strike, made 133 for six in their 10 overs.

The Kings, however, got off to the worst possible start, as they lost captain Jermaine Blackwood for a duck with the second ball of the innings, bowled by his opposite number Krishmar Santokie.

Opener Kennar Lewis blasted a quickfire 34 from 15 balls, with three fours and two sixes, to push the Kings' total to 58, before Lewis became the third wicket to fall to Oshane Walters.

Brad Barnes and Oraine Williams then added 40 runs for the fourth wicket, with Barnes going on to smash 30 runs from 14 balls, with three fours and a six, before he went caught in the deep off spinner Jamie Merchant.

Jeavor Royal chipped in with a brisk 25 from 10 balls, with three fours and a six, to take the Kings past the 130 mark, with Williams going on to get 19 before he went run out off the last ball of the innings.

The Titans got off to a brilliant start with a 44-run opening stand between Wayne Davis and Tristan Coleman in three overs and four balls, before Davis was stumped off Andre McCarthy for 15 before the rainfall.

Set 68 runs to win under the DLM, the Titans fell five runs short and totalled 63 for one in five overs.

Coleman was left unbeaten on 30 and Walters 11 not out.

Blackwood said the Kings had a good all-round performance.

"We batted and bowled well," he said. "It has been a while since the guys played some cricket and it will take a while to get back in the full groove, but I am happy for the first win."

In the second game of the doubleheader, the Cornwall Warriors ground out a two-run win under the DLM over the Surrey Risers.

The Risers, asked to bat first, posted 98 for six with Ricardo McIntosh top-scoring with 28 from 15 balls. Chadwick Walton weighed in with 23 against pacer Jermaine Levy, who took three wickets, and two wickets for Damian Ebanks.

The Warriors were 47 for two in the fifth over when rain ended the contest. Kerry Holness was not out on 25. West Indies pacers Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas took a wicket each.