Jones fireworks lift USA in T20 World Cup

DALLAS, United States (CMC):

Former Barbados Pride batsman Aaron Jones launched the ninth edition of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in style on Saturday with a scintillating half-century as the United States produced a daring run chase to beat Canada by seven wickets.

Asked to chase a challenging 195 in the tournament opener at Grand Prairie Stadium, the home side comfortably overhauled their target with 14 balls to spare, with the 29-year-old Jones blasting an unbeaten 94 off a mere 40 deliveries.

He struck four fours and 10 sixes, masterminding a 131-run third-wicket stand with Andries Gous (65) which pulled United States around from a nervy position of 42 for two in the seventh over.

Gous, 30, whose career was based almost entirely in his native South Africa, belted seven fours and three sixes in a 46-ball knock.

Man-of-the-Match Jones reached his second T20 International fifth off 22 balls in the 13th over, and fittingly finished the game by clearing the ropes at mid-wicket with off-spinner Nikhil Dutta.

"I think right now the team is in a good place. We just want to keep winning as much as possible," Jones said afterwards.

"Of course we can't win every single game for the rest of our lives but we want to win as many games as possible, and we want to beat as many teams as possible, and really show the world that USA really have great cricketers here in the country."

Sent in, Canada got a top score of 61 off 44 balls from opener Navneet Dhaliwal, while Barbadian Nicholas Kirton, who played the last of his four first class matches for Pride as recently as last season, chipped in with a maiden half-century of 51 off 31 deliveries.

Dhaliwal, who struck half-dozen fours and three sixes, put on 43 for the first wicket with Aaron Johnson (23) before adding a further 62 for the third wicket with Kirton who counted three fours and two sixes.