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Bess Motors Marchin Patriots head into a decisive Group B finale at Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair, Port of Spain, Wednesday (May 20) aiming to seal top spot as their possible collision course with Nu-Iron Queen’s Park looms.
The Central-based outfit, already crowned 50-over champions after their triumph over Powergen at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy three weeks ago, has brought that winning momentum into the Trinidad T20 Festival – not through one dominant batsman but via consistent contributions across the lineup.
Patriots face Victoria in the final group game, knowing a win will confirm them as Group B winners and set up a semi-final against Central Sports Yorkshire, who ended second in Group A. Pride in depth has been the hallmark of Marchin’s short-form campaign: no single player has yet posted a fifty in the T20s, but a spread of useful scores has kept the scoreboard moving in every match.
Kamil Pooran has been a standout in terms of recent form, compiling 93 runs at an average of 30.6 and underlining why he was picked up by the St Lucia Kings for the 2026 CPL.
Former West Indies Test all-rounder Raymon Reifer has bolstered the middle order with 86 runs at 28.6, providing both stability and occasional acceleration. Support from the rest of the roster has been dependable – Ravi Ramlogan (average 20.6), Chrystian Thurton (18.3) and Kistran Kallicharan (18.0) have all played their part, producing the sort of collective performance that defines good T20 teams.
Despite Marchin’s solid position, the final day’s permutations still offer intrigue. Should Marchin slip to defeat and KFC Clarke Road pull off a commanding win over Merryboys, the Penal side could leapfrog the Patriots – but only if net run rates align in Clarke Road’s favour. Clarke Road themselves are not out of jeopardy: a heavy defeat to Merryboys could open the door for the Diego Martin outfit to sneak into the semi-finals or even allow Powergen to slide into the last four depending on results elsewhere.
For Marchin, the message inside the camp is simple: maintain the team unity and game plan that have worked so well this season. The Patriots’ strategy has been built around collective responsibility rather than relying on a single superstar – a blueprint that has already delivered silverware this year. Winning Group B would reward that approach with a potentially explosive semi against Central Sports Yorkshire, a tie that promises fireworks given Yorkshire’s aggressive style and powerful batting.
Victoria, meanwhile, arrives at Queen’s Park seeking to upset the script. They will be under no illusions about the task ahead: containing the inside power play and choking the middle overs will be crucial if they are to halt Marchin’s momentum. For Victoria, confidence will be needed against a Patriots bowling attack that has shown discipline and the ability to strike at key moments.
With the T20 Festival entering its knockout phase, today’s group finale carries extra weight. A Marching win would be confirmation of a season of steady progress and collective excellence; a surprise loss would inject chaos into the Group B standings and create one final twist before the semifinals. Either way, fans can expect a high-intensity encounter at the Oval – one that could determine not only who advances but also who carries momentum into the business end of the tournament.
Today’s matches (At Queen’s Park Oval)
Profilbeau Victoria vs Bess Motors Marchin Patriots, 3 pm
Merryboys vs KFC Clarke Road United, 7 pm
Semifinals (Friday)
Nu-Iron Queen’s Park vs Group B Runners-up, 3 pm
Central Sports Yorkshire vs Group A Winners, 7 pm
Trinidad T20 Festival Standings
Group A
Team *P *W *L *NR *PTS
QPCC *4 *4 *0 *0 *8
Central Sports Yorkshire *4 *3 *1 *0 *6
Preysal *4 *2 *2 *0 *4
FIAL U-19 *4 *1 *3 *0 *2
Prisons *4 *0 *0 *4 *0
Group B
Pl*Team *P *W *L *NR *PTS
BM Marchin Patriots*3 *3 *0 *0 *6
Clarke Road *3 *2 *1 *0 *4
Powergen *4 *2 *2 *9 *4
Merryboys *3 *1 *2 *0 *2
Victoria *3 *0 *3 *0 *0
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