Morea hits ton in BB T20 clash

THE Port Moresby Cricket Association’s Big Rooster Biggie Botaia T20 League was left with four teams to battle it out for the finals this weekend as the quarterfinals were completed amid some dramatic outcomes.
In the Gerehu Pool, Wanderers lost six wickets chasing Hula Lighthouse’s paltry 81 to top their pool.
Earlier, Avala posted 162 and dismissed Lighthouse for 105 with Pari youngster Govea Airi’s 84 runs the highlight to finish second in the Gerehu pool.
In the Manu pool, Viriolo and Kalo entertained their many supporters with a high-scoring encounter last Saturday.
The Kemp Welch river team surpassed their Marshall Lagoon opponent’s 176 winning by two wickets as captain Vali Albert hit an unbeaten 70 to lead a great chase.
Vali Ila’s rearguard 58 helped set up Viriolo with a seemingly match-winning score but to no avail.
Kalo then took on Coasters on Sunday for the top spot.
They, however, met Vani Vagi in hot form who hit a blistering 117.
Vagi and opening partner Simon Atai (51) produced the highest partnership of the tournament with a opening stand of 181 to set up a comfortable victory.
Pokana Kalai’s 4-32 restricted Coasters to 233 however this proved too much for Kalo in the end who managed 125. In the Waigani pool, ITI Trophy premiers Raukele qualified in this all POMCA pool crushing United (119) by 53 runs.
In the Erima pool, this was the most dramatic of all the qualifiers as Keapara, ETK and Pari all registered a win each.
Pari hosted ETK and Keapara on their newly laid pitch on Saturday.
Pari edged ETK by 12 runs in the morning clash despite an unbeaten 92 by Kohu Dai.
Keapara’s powerful batsmen then mowed down Pari’s 155 in the afternoon in just 13 overs with master blaster William Mula (59 not out) again leading the charge.
On Sunday morning at Bisini, ETK dismissed the Hood Lagoon men for only 133 with Riley Hekure’s 4-26 rattling Keapara’s much vaunted batting lineup for the first time in the tournament.
This means Keapara was the sole Central team left in the race to challenge POMCA teams Raukele, Coasters and Wanderers to contest the semifinals on Saturday.
Teams will be drawn today to determine who plays who.
The two losers will battle for third spot on Sunday morning while the winners will face off in the final in the afternoon.
The official presentation ceremony will take place at the conclusion of the final.