Mexico to play Costa Rica in T20 final

Mexico 130 for 8 (Gupta 57*) beat Falkland Islands 101 for 9 (Collins 22, Marlor 20) by 29 runs

Costa Rica 165 for 5 (Crisp 56, Smith 52) beat Falkland Islands 100 (Crisp 2 for 6) by 65 runs

Mexico will meet Costa Rica in the final of the Americas Division Four Twenty20 event today after both teams won their matches against the Falkland Islands.

The Falklands were forced to play two matches in the same day because of travel issues; there is only one flight a week from Mexico to the Falkland Islands. Although they ended the day winless, they didn’t go down without a fight.

In the day’s first game, Mexico won the toss and elected to bat in very overcast conditions. While the 50-over game against the same opponents was a runaway victory for the hosts, the first T20 between the two teams was much closer.

The Falklands restricted Mexico to 130 for 8 from their 20 overs. That they got even that far was thanks to their captain Tushar Gupta, who made an unbeaten 57 after coming in at number seven. With five overs remaining, Mexico was struggling at 75 for 5, but the Falkland bowlers allowed Gupta to seize the initiative.

In reply, only three Falkland batsmen got into double figures: Martin Collins, with 22 from 29 balls, Richard Marlor, who was 20 not out from 24 balls, and David Hewitt, who crawled to 11 from 27 balls, as the tourists finished with 101 for 9 in their 20 overs.

Costa Rica dominated the second game, quickly dispelling any thoughts the Falklands may have had of duplicating their 50-over triumph. A century second wicket partnership between David Crisp, 56 runs from 38 balls, and Ben Smith, 52 runs from 37 balls, laid the foundation. Chris Prasad chipped in at the end of the innings with 19 runs from 9 balls, as the Costa Ricans piled up 165 for the loss of five wickets.

That target was never in reach for the Falklands, and they eventually folded for 100 with 4.1 overs remaining. Crisp took 2 for 6 to go with his half-century and was duly named man of the match.

The Falkland Islands will next play in a triangular tournament in Fife in the United Kingdom in July.