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| | GEO Sports | | T&T, NSW reach last four | Updated at: 0643 PST, Monday, October 19, 2009
 HYDERABAD: Trinidad and Tobago compiled the biggest total of the tournament enroute a 24-run victory over Diamond Eagles to move into the semi-finals of the Champions League Twenty20 here Sunday.
Electing to bat, the West Indian side smashed 213 for four with the top-order putting together a powerful batting performance.
Faced with the enormous chase, Eagles kept pace with the run rate for the first 10 overs before their challenge fizzled out and they finished at 189 for five.
The sizeable turnout at the stadium was treated to a run feast with more than 400 runs being scored in the match. Twenty sixes were hit in the match with 13 of those coming from Trinidad and Tobago batsmen.
Trinidad and Tobago thus qualified for the semi-final as the top team from league A. The other team to reach the last four was New South Blues.
Right from the start, Trinidad and Tobago showed intent and got off to an electrifying start through openers Adrian Barath (63 off 41 balls) and William Perkins (35 off 25 balls). The two openers smashed 66 runs in 40 balls. Barath hit four fours and four sixes while Perkins struck three sixes and three fours.
There was no respite for Eagles’ bowler even after the duo was separated as Lendl Simmons (40 off 25), Kieron Pollard (23 off 13) and Navin Stewart (33 not out off 11 balls) continued in the same vein.
Diamond Eagles made a brave attempt to chase down the target and looked right on track when openers Morne van Wyk (25 off 14) and Rilee Rossouw (44 off 19 balls) knocked off 54 runs in just 3.6 overs. Ravi Rampaul and Dwayne Bravo bore the brunt of their onslaught.
Off spinner Sherwin Ganga (2-25) got the important breakthrough as he removed Van Wyk and then dismissed Adrian McLaren (9) in the next over.
Rossouw was the next to go, dismissed by Lendl Simmons, leaving Diamond Eagles at 81 for three.
Dillion du Preez (35) and skipper Boeta Dippeanaar (33) kept the team in the hunt, but Pollard (2-35) shone with the bowl also to put the match beyond Eagles’ reach.
New South Wales Blues stormed into the semi-final of the Champions League Twenty20 with a thumping six-wicket victory over Somerset here Sunday.
Somerset, put in to bat, could make only 111 for seven in 20 overs, thanks largely to vital contributions from the lower order after the top five caved in for 44 runs.
In reply, New South Wales got an explosive start through David Warner, who smashed 40 off just 16 balls that included six fours and two sixes.
Philip Hughes (18) and Daniel Smith (20) chipped in with the bat and the Blues' reached the target with 49 balls to spare.
The Australian side, after losing their last match to Trinidad and Tobago, came back strongly this day to earn the biggest victory of the tournament.
Everything worked out perfectly for the Blues' since Simon Katich won the toss and decided to bowl.
Stuart Clark (3-15) led the bowling charge, scathing through the Somerset top-order.
Clark was introduced into the attack in the fifth over and took two wickets in the over. Craig Kieswetter (13) holed out to mid-on and Justin Langer gave a catch to deep midwicket.
Clark removed James Hildreth in the next over, as he top-edged a pull shot to fine-leg. Arul Suppiah was run out in the same over and Somerset were reduced to 39 for 4. Peter Trego was dismised by Nathan Hauritz and the England side was tottering at 44 for five.
It took some effort from the lower order batsmen -- Zander de Bruyn (23), Omari Banks (15) and Wes Durston (20 not out) -- to give some respectability to the score.
A blistering knock from Warner ensured Blues face no hiccup in the run-chase. Warner added 56 runs with Hughes which came in just 28 balls. |  |
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