Crandon bowls RHTWSB to nail biting victory over Port Mourant
-semifinals set for today
National fast bowler Esaun Crandon guide Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) to a nail biting two-run victory over Port Mourant at the Area ‘H’ ground on Wednesday in a final quarter-final match of the Berbice zone of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Gafoors nationwide 20/20 first division competition.
Sent in on a wicket with some moisture from early morning rain, RHTWSB compiled 133-7 from 20 overs and stoutly defended it, thanks to Crandon who took 5-19 as Port Mourant were bowled out for 131 from 19.5 overs. Renwick Batson (26), Jason Sinclair (24) and Delbert Hicks (20) led the batting for RHTWSB while Rajiv Ivan (4-19) and Shameer Khan (2-30) were the principal wicket-takers for Port Mourant.
Port Mourant were shakily placed on 23-4 after the fifth over but Ivan, who scored 77 before being dismissed in the final over, came to his team’s rescue with some robust hitting to carry his team close to their target of 134. They started the final over bowled by Crandon needing nine runs to not only record a come-from-behind victory and book a semifinal place and Ivan calmed things down a bit by dispatching Crandon’s first delivery for the maximum. But he was bowled off the next delivery leaving Yogindra Harrinarine to score the final three runs needed for victory from four deliveries proved to be a herculean task.
Port Mourant ended on 131 from 19.5 overs.
Eon Hooper supported Crandon with 2-29.
The semi-finals will be played today from 2:00pm with RHTWSB taking on Young Warriors at the Cumberland ground while Albion Community Centre and Blairmont will battle at Port Mourant.
The final is set for next Wednesday at a venue to be named.