By Calvin Roberts
Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) and Young Warriors Cricket clubs will meet in the final of the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTYSC)/ Sprite- sponsored Twenty20 final after they both scored resounding victories over their opponents on Sunday.
At the Port Mourant ground, home team Port Mourant lost to RHTWSB by 10 wickets. They won the toss and opted to take first strike in sultry conditions but only managed to post 106-9 from their 20 overs, thanks to some controlled bowling from an all spin attack employed by RHTWSB.
Alvin Gobin with 24 that was decorated with two huge sixes and 21 from Krisendat Narine helped stabilize the innings after seeing their team struggling at 53-5. National player Assad Fudadin (2-5), former national under-19 captain Andre Percival (2-13) and Ravi Narine 2-38 did the damage with the ball for RHTWSB.
In reply, the co-coordinators of the competition reached their target without any damage to their wickets with captain and national all-rounder Esaun Crandon hitting an unbeaten 52 that was decorated with six fours and one six, while Delbert Hicks also chipped in with 50 (1×4; 3x6s). For the first time in local 20/20 competitions, there were Play of the Day prizes on offer and Gobin who struck Narine for a huge six won that prize while Crandon took home the Man of the Match award.
At Cumberland, Young Warriors upstaged the mighty Albion Community Centre Cricket club by five wickets.
Albion won the toss and decided to take first strike on a good batting wicket, but could post only 123-7 from their 20 overs. Guyana and West Indies opener Sewnarine Chattergoon led their batting with 30 (3x4s) while his younger brother Harrinarine made 26 (2x4s) and the veteran Doodnauth Lallbeharry 18 with two huge sixes.
Anil Beharry 2-14 and Mahendra Shivdyal 2-37 were the wicket takers for Young Warriors who reached 124-5 in their reply. Balram Samaroo with 50 (6x4s) and national middle order batsman Gajanand Singh 49 (5x4s; 2x6s) led their batting onslaught.
Former national captain Damodar Daesrath was unbeaten on 11 to see his team to victory with one over remaining.
Sewnarine Chattergoon returned with the ball to claim 2-22. Samaroo was named Man of the Match while Richard Ramdeen took home the Play of the Day prize for the magnificent catch he took to dismiss Chattergoon in this encounter.
The final will be played at a date to be announced and the match will be broadcast live on NCN Radio.
