Sportsmax – Guyana Rainforest Rangers secured their first victory in the CWI Breakout League on Sunday with a commanding 52-run win over Leeward Islands Thunder at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Led by explosive batting from Kevlon Anderson and Ronaldo Alimohamed, and a clinical four-wicket haul from Riyad Latiff, the Rangers outplayed their opponents in all departments to remain in strong contention for playoff qualification.
After being sent in to bat, Guyana posted an imposing 189-5 from their 20 overs, thanks to a series of impactful contributions throughout the order. Anderson anchored the innings with a composed 52 from 45 balls, striking three fours and a six during his 116-run strike rate knock. His 66-run third-wicket stand with Kevin Sinclair (39 off 24) laid a solid foundation after a rapid start from opener Rivaldo Clarke, who smashed 23 off 13 balls.
The innings reached its crescendo with Alimohamed’s late onslaught—blasting 40 off just 20 deliveries including three towering sixes and six boundaries. His 45-run stand with Sinclair set the tone before a fiery cameo from Quentin Sampson (17* off 10) pushed the Rangers to a competitive total. Elroy Francis and Michael Palmer were the pick of the Thunder bowlers, both finishing with two wickets each.
In response, the Thunder never quite found their footing. Despite a promising start by Mikyle Louis (24 off 18) and Nathan Edward (28 off 32), wickets fell at regular intervals, halting any momentum. The middle and lower order were rocked by Latiff’s incisive spell, as he returned figures of 4-25 from his four overs, dismantling the core of the batting lineup.
Jediah Blades chipped in with 2-31 and Ashmead Nedd maintained the pressure with a miserly 1-18 from his four overs. The Thunder limped to 137-8 at the end of their 20 overs, falling well short of the target.
The win marks another step forward for the Rainforest Rangers, whose balanced squad continues to impress in the developmental competition. For the Leeward Islands Thunder, it was a disappointing outing after choosing to bowl first, with their bowlers failing to contain and their batters unable to counter Guyana’s disciplined attack.
Brief Scorecard
Guyana Rainforest Rangers 189-5 (20 overs)
Anderson 52, R. Alimohamed 40, K. Sinclair 39; E. Francis 2-40, M. Palmer 2-19
Leeward Islands Thunder 137-8 (20 overs)
Edward 28, M. Louis 24; R. Latiff 4-25, J. Blades 2-31, A. Nedd 1-18
Result: Guyana Rainforest Rangers won by 52 runs
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