Fatima College stormed into the final of the PowerGen SSCL Intercol tournament when they defeated a game Trinity East team in their semi final on Friday 1st May 2015 at the National Cricket Center in Balmain, Couva. Skipper Donavon Clayton called correctly at the toss and had no hesitation deciding to take first strike, expressing his confidence in his batting unit and the form they had displayed in staying unbeaten for the season thus far. His opposite number, Keagan Simmons, said he would have bowled first had he won the toss, so it looked like both teams got their wishes granted as the match began. Trinity would soon realize that sometimes getting what you want comes at a heavy cost.
Early events seemed to favor the boys from the East, as Fatima lost their 1st wicket with only 5 runs on the board. Simmons must have surely thought Lady Luck was smiling on his team, but luck is a fickle thing indeed. Amir Jangoo joined Jonathan Hirst at the wicket and the left-handed pair, much as they had done before in the season, proceeded to lay the foundation for a Fatima recovery. Whilst Jangoo was prepared to rotate the strike and keep the scoreboard ticking, Hirst was a veritable force of nature as he tore into the Trinity bowling. He took 36 balls to bring up his half-century and scored his next 50 runs even quicker off just the 27 deliveries. His eventual 102 was a brutal display. Trinity’s bowlers were dispatched to all parts of the ground and beyond as Hirst racked up 9 boundaries and 5 sixes. In comparison, Jangoo’s 44-ball score of 45 with the solitary boundary and maximum looked almost pedestrian but was the perfect foil to the carnage unfolding off Hirst’s blade. Their efforts would see Fatima post a challenging 161 – 4.
Trinity went after their target bravely as skipper Simmons put on 70 in an opening partnership with Brandon Sooklal. When pacer Sean Persaud had Sooklal caught for an aggressive 41, however, the innings came apart. Hirst would not be content to let his bat have the only say in the match, as he returned with ball in hand to grab 2 wickets for 10 runs off 2 overs, including the scalp of Simmons for a fighting 50. The Eastern unit would eventually be dismissed for 132 in the 20th over to hand Fatima a 29-run victory and a first appearance in the final since their loss to Hillview College back in 2010.
It was a genuine privilege to witness this performance in person. The aggression and confidence on display was a treat and the batting technique a coach’s delight.