– RHTWSB, Albion already through from Zone ‘B’
Four teams are in a close race for the two semi-final spots from Zone ‘A’ in the Telenec Berbice 50-overs first division cricket competition heading into the final preliminary round matches this weekend.
Police (7 points) have completed their allotment of matches and are now hoping that Blairmont beat Rose Hall Canje at Blairmont on Saturday and West Berbice (5 points) lose both of their remaining games to allow them to squeeze into the final four.
However, if West Berbice beat Young Warriors (5 points) on Saturday at Cumberland and Bermine on Sunday at Canje they will top the zone.
A win for Rose Hall (7 points) against Blairmont will take them into the semis but if Young Warriors emerge victorious and West Berbice are beaten by Bermine at Canje on Sunday, Young Warriors will advance.
Meanwhile, Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) and Albion have already qualified for the semi-finals from Zone B.
Young Warriors and Rose Hall Canje won their matches over the weekend as Bermine’s chance of a semi-final place disappeared.
Over at Cumberland, Young Warriors beat Bermine by 22 runs in a low-scoring encounter.
After morning rain reduced the game to a 30-over affair, Young Warriors fell for 121 in 29.5 overs before dismissing the visitors for 99 in 28.9 overs.
Bermine employed a six-prong off-spin attack with Charles Shepard and national under-17 player Joemal La fleur sharing the new ball.
Former West Indies under-19 player Richard Ramdeen, along with national under-19 batsman Seon Hetmyer were removed by La Fleur who took 2-14 from 5 overs early in the match.
The attacking Faurok Hussain made 23 before he was caught leg before to former national spinner Sean Devers and then a fighting partnership between Anil Beharry (24) and Daryl Narine (29) revived the position.
Trinidad-based Devon Clements (3-8 from 3 overs) then wrapped up the tail.
Devers had 2-19 from six overs while national all-rounder Steven Jacobs, making his first division debut in Berbice took 2-34 from five overs.
Inter-county player Andrew Williams also bowled well for Bermine who struggled after former Berbice under-19 left-arm pacer Davendra Ramotar (3-21) removed Williams (9), Clements (3) and Jacobs (6).
When the opposition began their reply, Georgetown-based Malteenoes batsman Randy Lindore put up some resistance before La Fleur (19) was controversially given run out by umpire Augustus Outar even as he was verifying a boundary call and the batsmen met at mid-pitch to converse and then Le Fleur’s shot was signalled a four.
The ball would have become ‘dead’ when Outar’s verification process commenced, since the batsmen did not attempt a run.
The blunder again exposed the sub-standard umpiring in Berbice. Spinners Hussain (2-21), Beharry and Balram Samaroo also had tight spells for Young Warriors.
Rose Hall Canje beat Police by two wickets in another game reduced to 30 overs due to rain after making 113-8 in 29.1 overs, replying to the Police 112 all out in 25.5.
Skipper Michael Newland top-scored with 32 while Kenroy Henry supported with 23 for Police as left-arm spinner Sean Ghetto bagged 4-10 and was helped by Vishal Mohabir and Rafik Kassim who took two wickets each.
Vedesh Singh made 23 as Newland took 3-15 from six overs and Charles Grimmond 2-22 from six in a losing cause for Police.
