An aggressive half-century by Under-19 opening batsman, Rajendra Chandrika, enabled Enter-prise to defeat Lusignan by 11 runs in the final of an East Coast Cricket Board [ECCB] organised Twenty/20 competition on Saturday.
The competition was played at the Enmore Community Centre Ground.
Playing in front of a sizeable crowd in a fete-like atmosphere, Chandrika smas-hed 82 off only 55 balls with five sixes and three fours as Enterprise rattled up 174-1 off their 20 overs.
He was ably supported by V. Gobin, 44 [1×6 and 5x4s off 28 balls] and Sultan Safdar 37,[4x4s].
When Lusignan batted, they suffered an early setback, losing opener Heerlall Hera caught off medium pacer R. Pooran with the score on three. V. Ramjeet and former national Under-19 all-rounder, Krishna Deosarran then added 41 for the third wicket, with Ramjeet getting 29 off 20 balls with six fours. H. Sattaur then joined Deosarran but with the score on 73, Sattaur departed, caught off Sultan Safdar. N. Singh then teamed up with Deosarran and the two shared a partnership of 29 before Deosarran went, caught at long-off for a well played 40 [1×6,2x4s off 28 balls]. Singh was next to go, caught at extra cover off Singh for a well put together 42 which included three fours and one six, off 23 balls. Singh’s dismissal marked the end of any further, significant resistance by Lusignan as the remaining batsmen offered only token resistance. They were eventually dismissed for 164.
C. Singh was the pick of the Enterprise bowlers with 4-28 off four overs, supported by R. Pooran and Safdar with 2-28 from four and 2-26 from four, respectively. Chandrika chipped in with 1-26 from three overs.
Chandrika was voted man-of-the-match for his most entertaining knock.
Meanwhile in the first of the preliminary matches, which were reduced to fifteen overs because of the time constraint, Lusignan defeated the East Coast first division team by thirty runs. Batting first, Lusignan scored 139 off their 15 overs, with Krishna Deosarran topscoring with 51 [4x4s,2x6s]; H. Hera,38 [7x4s] and N.Singh,18 [3x4s].
Bowling for East Coast, S. Ramkisson claimed 2-22 from three overs, while C. Ramlall and E. Abel supported with 1-20 from two and 1-32 from three, respectively. When East Coast batted, a belligerent 62 by Abel could not save them from defeat, as only two other batsmen reached double figures. They were eventually dismissed for 109.
Bowling for Lusignan, E. Khan and N. Singh took 2-12 from three overs and 2-18 from two overs , respectively. H. Sattaur, V. Ramjeet and J. Craig chipped in with one wicket apiece.
Finally, in what was by far the closest game of the day, Enterprise defeated Aqua Line Farm of West Bank Demerara by two runs. Batting first, Enterprise made 109-9 off the allotted 15 overs: Sultan Safdar scored 23 [5x4s,13 balls]; P. Dindyal, 20 [1×4]; R. Mangal,17 [2x4s]; and B. Singh 18. Bowling for the West
Demerara team: C. Gittens took 2-14 from three overs, while N. Thomas, Karimulla and K. Morton weighed in with one wicket each. When Aqua Line batted, A. Sookdeo, 44 [5x6s,3x4s,off 22 balls]; and B. Baksh were the only batsmen to show any real resistance as the West Bank team folded for 108.
Bowling for Enterprise, C. Singh bagged 3-16 off three overs, while R. Pooran, claimed 2-16 also from three overs. P. Dindyal and R. Mangal supported with one wicket each.
