In Round 7 of the Port Vila T20 Club Championship, the first match saw the Mighty Saints batting first against Tafea Sandalwood. The Saints' innings was a struggle from the start, with Neil Malosu dismissed for a duck on the very first ball, setting a dire tone for the innings. Sebas Richard managed just 1 run before falling to Wamejo Wotu, and Simpson Obed and Chad Natuoivi both fell without scoring, adding to the Saints' woes. Captain Mac Millan Markia was the only batsman to show some resistance with 17 off 16 balls, but his dismissal to Shay Narai triggered a collapse. SM Meltetake and JB Iatika also failed to reach double digits, contributing to a paltry total of 49 runs in 13.1 overs.
On the bowling front, Darren Wotu and Wamejo Wotu started the demolition, taking early wickets. Shay Narai and Sanny Hapina continued the onslaught, with Narai and Hapina both claiming two wickets each. Williamsing Nalisa cleaned up the tail, ending with figures of 3 for 11. Chasing a modest target of 50, Tafea Sandalwood got off to a flying start with Wamejo Wotu smashing 29 off 13 balls. Despite the early loss of Junior Nirua, who scored 6, Williamsing Nalisa ensured there were no further hiccups with a quickfire 16 off 9 balls, steering his team to a comfortable victory in just 5.1 overs. Tafea Sandalwood won by 9 wickets.
The second match featured Splashe Mele Bulls against North Efate Bush Pigs. The Bulls' innings was in disarray from the start. Both Rashid Bangalulu and Kevin Langa fell without scoring. WR Tastuki provided some resistance with 25 runs off 26 balls alongside captain Jecky Bangalulu's fighting 33 of 41 deliveries, but the rest of the lineup crumbled. Only Adrian Masauvakalo managed to score 6 off 14 balls before being stumped. The Bulls were bowled out for 87 in 17.3 overs. Tim Cutler and Nick Venables were both exceptional with the new ball, both taking two wickets each. Ronald Tari was the standout bowler though, claiming 4 for 12, while Stanley Iata chipped in with two wickets to wrap up the innings. In response, Tari played a blistering knock, scoring an unbeaten 68 off 24 balls, including five boundaries and six sixes. Aaron Strid supported him with 12 not out, as the Bush Pigs chased down the target in just 6.2 overs without losing a wicket. North Efate Bush Pigs won by 10 wickets.
In the third match, the Paama Sharks posted a formidable total of 192 for 3 in their 20 overs. CTW Kendrick was the star, scoring an unbeaten 89 off 59 balls, featuring ten boundaries and four sixes. William Laumae and Vince Vira provided good support with 27 and 17 runs respectively. Extras significantly boosted the total with 31 runs. Suria Rajen was the pick of the bowlers for Tusker Panthers, taking 2 for 22 in his four overs. The rest of the bowlers struggled with their lines, contributing to the Sharks' healthy total. In pursuit of a challenging target, Joshua Rasu's quickfire 69 off 28 balls gave the Panthers a glimmer of hope. However, the rest of the batting lineup failed to support him adequately. Christopher Laffan added 24 runs, but wickets fell at regular intervals. Vince Vira and Justin Sarginson bowled brilliantly, taking two wickets each, and Stephane Sandy also chipped in with two crucial wickets. The Panthers ended their innings at 157 for 7. Paama Sharks won by 35 runs.
Current Standings after Round 7
Team | Pld | W | L | Drw | Abd | Pts | NRR | |
1 | Tafea CC | 7 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 14.0 | +3.858 |
2 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 11.0 | +3.155 | |
3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 5.0 | -0.568 | |
4 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | -1.157 | |
5 | 7 | 2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4.0 | -1.742 | |
6 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2.0 | -3.050 |
MVP Standings:
Rank | Player | Club | Matches | Batting | Bowling | Fielding | Overall |
1 | Tafea CC | 7 | 34.28 | 23.52 | 8.97 | 66.78 | |
2 | North Efate Bush Pigs | 6 | 41.49 | 15.4 | 4.06 | 60.96 | |
3 | Tafea CC | 7 | 26.1 | 25.13 | 2.55 | 53.79 | |
4 | Paama Sharks | 6 | 43.77 | 3.03 | 1.25 | 48.05 | |
5 | Splashe Mele Bulls | 6 | 8.52 | 27.46 | 1.25 | 37.24 |
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