Defending champions Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) easily retained their Busta Champion of Champions championship for the fourth time when they defeated beaten finalists on all four occasions Port Mourant (PM) by 47 runs in the final at the Albion Community Development Centre ground yesterday.
Needing to score 215 to win the tournament for a second time in reply to RHTWSB 214-7 made from their 50 overs, Port Mourant saw their innings off to a flyer as Moshin Peerkhan (43) and Davendranauth Thakurdeen (14) added 32 runs for the first wicket, but withered away after the controversial dismissal of Peerkhan to be bowled out for 167 from 45.1 overs.
Port Mourant raced to 17-0 after four overs forcing spinner Ravi Narine to be introduced after only eight overs.
Narine was to quickly make his mark removing Thakurdeen who was caught by Eon Hooper at mid on and in his next over, the dangerous Rajiv Ivan who was caught by Jason Sinclair on the long on boundary as he attempted to hit the bowler out of the ground.
Peerkhan and Roopnarine Ramgobin then added 33 runs for the third wicket but a controversial decision accounted for Peerkhan in the first over after the water break.
Ramgobin had driven a delivery from Royston Crandon back to the bowler, and in his attempt to ground his bat, Peerkhan was struck by the ball.
The RHTWSB fielders went up in appeal and after thoughtful consideration and consultation with his colleague, umpire Rafik Latiff gave Peerkhan who faced 60 deliveries for his 43, the marching orders out obstructing the field, much to the dismay of the fair size crowd on hand.
Port Mourant then lost three quick wickets as the spin of Royston Crandon, former national under-19 captain Andre Percival and Troy Matheison kept a tight rein on the batting. Homchand Pooran (48) tried desperately to keep his team in the game with sensible running between the wickets but battling cramps was caught by Sinclair on the long off boundary at 166-8 in the 44th over.
The end came when Rajendra Latcha was stumped by wicketkeeper Delbert Hicks off Percival and Yougindra Harrinarine was run out by Royston Crandon who picked up a delivery driven back to him and fired a return to Hicks with the batsmen well out of his ground, leaving Bolo unbeaten on seven handing RHTWSB a 47-run victory.
Narine ended with 3-34 from 10 overs whilst Matheison with 3-44 and Percival 1-38 offered support.
Earlier, Port Mourant won the toss and asked the defending champions to take first strike on a good batting wicket and a heavy outfield and quickly picked up two wickets for 32 runs from eighth overs.
But thanks to a crafty 54 from Royston Crandon, they ended on 214-7 from their 50 overs.
Hicks (30) and Royston Crandon (54) added 43 runs for the third wicket. They pushed the total to 75-2, before Hicks was caught by Thakurdeen at first slip off the bowling of Ivan (1-44). His demise brought Percival (22) to the wicket, and the two who were the recipients of chances offered by Port Mourant, capitalized to post a 56-run, fifth wicket partnership from 15 overs.
They plundered anything loose from the all spin attack that was enforced by Sameer Khan with Crandon hitting Ivan over mid on for four after the bowler had failed to hold onto a return catch two deliveries before.
Percival, who was given a life by Jairam Beepi off Ivan, responded by hitting Ivan over a wide mid on for his only boundary.
Crandon was eventually caught by Ivan on the mid wicket boundary as he attempted a big hit.
He batted for 72 balls and struck four fours and one six for his top score of 54.
Percival went in the next over, caught by wicketkeeper Pundai Debedyal as he attempted to cut at a short delivery from Latcha before all rounder Esaun Crandon and Sinclair added an even 50 for the seventh wicket from 12.2 overs.
Sinclair and Eon Hooper then added a breezy 19 runs from the final two overs which saw their team to their eventual total of 214-7 with Sinclair being unbeaten on 28 (51 balls) and Hooper 13 (seven balls).
Latcha with 3-45 was the best bowler for Port Mourant even though the luckless Ivan ended with 1-44 from his 10 overs and Beepi 1-29 from five.
At the simple presentation ceremony, Royston Crandon received individual prizes after being adjudged the best batsman, Man-of-the-Match and play of the day for his six off Latcha, whilst Ravi Narine got the best bowler award.
Skipper Esaun Crandon received the championship trophy and the $100,000 first prize
