Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) reached the finals of the Berbice Cricket Board organized Associated Business Services (ABS) 40-overs-a-side cricket tournament when they edged past arch rivals Port Mourant by seven runs at the Area “H” ground on Wednesday.

Batting first in the semi-finals after losing the toss in a game reduced to 30 overs, RHTWSB lost opener Renwick Batson off the first ball of the match when he was run out but national players Assad Fudadin and Delbert Hicks repaired the early damage with a second wicket partnership of 44 before Fudadin was caught on the midwicket boundary off Stephen Latcha for 25.

The home team eventually reached 178 all out from their 30 overs, with Hicks top scoring with 80 (9 fours and 1 six), Esaun Crandon 27 and Khemraj Mahadeo 15 being the principal scorers.

Bowling for Port Mourant Cricket Club, Latcha took 2-16 and Rajendra Bolo 2-29.

In reply PMCC lost two quick wickets to be 7-2 in the third over. Devindra Thakurdeen was bowled by off spinner Troy Mathieson for 2 while Pooran Debidyal was caught behind by Hicks off the bowling of medium pacer Renwick Batson also for 2.

A third wicket partnership worth 55 runs between Moshim Perkhan and Navin Persaud brought PMCC back into the game before Persaud was brilliantly caught by Esaun Crandon off Mathieson for 17. Captain Sameer Khan joined Perkhan and together they took the score to 90 in the 17th over before Perkhan was caught behind off Andre Percival.

Hard hitting middle order batsman Lionel Seegobin joined his captain and added 34 in five overs before Khan was run out for a well played 21 to leave his team on 124-5.

Seegobin then took the attack to the home team smashing 45 (4 sixes and 2 fours) before national pacer Esaun Crandon bowled him in the 28th over to leave Port Mourant at 157 for 6. The RHTWSB bowlers held their nerves to bowl out Port Mourant for 172 in 29.3 overs.

Off spinner Fudadin took 3-21 and Mathieson 2-22 for RHTWSB who will now face Young Warriors in the finals scheduled for next Sunday at the Rose Hall Canje ground.