Led by outstanding performances from Guyana left arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul and West Indies opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon, Albion Community Centre defeated Rose Hall Community Centre by 6 wickets in the semi-final to become the first team to reach the final of this year’s TENELEC Inc. first division 50-over cricket competition.
In the match at the Port Mourant ground, RHCC won the toss and took first strike and found themselves in early trouble at 17 for 2. However, Sanjay Khan featured in a 96-run for the 3rd wicket before Permaul got the breakthrough when he had Khan caught for 27 at 113-3.
Subsequently, Permaul proceeded to remove three wickets in two overs with the score on 121, including Sasenarine Sukhdeo 75 (7×4, 2×6) to effectively break the back of the batting side by reducing them from 113-2 to 121-6.
They never really recovered and it took 20 from Berbice under-15 batsman Kevin Ramdeen at the end for RHCC to reach 166 all out from 44.4 overs. Permaul ended with 4-35 from 10 overs.
When defending champs Albion Community Centre began their response, they lost former Guyana Twenty20 star Imran Khan for nine with only 21 runs on the board. However his partner Chattergoon was joined by Guyana under-19 cricketer Jonathan Foo and together they put on 107 for the 2nd wicket before Foo was caught off the bowling off-spinner Sukhdeo for 44 (3 fours) at 129-2.
Five runs later Chattergoon was bowled by Sukhdeo for 74 that included five boundaries and two sixes. Quickly after that Ranga Lachigadu went lbw to medium pacer Khamraj Sumair for two leaving Albion at 138-4.
However, two former Guyana under-15 cricketers Harrinarine Chattergoon (27 n.o.) and Sharmindra Hardyal (8 n.o.) saw Albion through to victory at 169-4 in 27 overs. Sukhdeo took 2-27 from 6.4 oovers.
Meanwhile in the second semi-final Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB), Khamraj Mahadeo helped steer them out of early danger by breaking the back of the Police batting to record a 99-run victory, earning their place in the final that will be against Albion Community Centre.
Police won the toss and asked Rose Hall Town to take first strike in the match which was reduced to 38 overs per side because of a late start due to rain.
With pacer Michael Newland picking up the two early wickets, that included Guyana’s under-19 wicketkeeper/batsman Delbert Hicks for four, and Quesi Peters removing Renwick Batson for 7, Police had Rose Hall in early trouble at 31-3. Police then picked up the big wicket of Guyana batsman Royston Crandon for 14 to leave RHTWSB4 at 54-4.
Khemraj Mahadeo came to the crease and together with Assad Fudadin put on 44 for the 5th wicket before Fudadin was run out for 46 (3×4, 3×6). Mahadeo continued his rescue act by putting on 61 for the 6th wicket with Eon Hooper (23) and featured in a 52-run 8th wicket stand with Ravi Narine (22) to see RHTWSB close at 231-8 in their allotted 38 overs.
Bowling for Police, Newland took 3-50 from 8 overs while off-spinner Albert Sinclair grabbed 2-34 from 8 overs.
When Police started their response they had to contend with facing the all spin opening attack of left arm spinner Ravi Narine and off-spinner Hooper. With only seven runs on the tins Narine removed Michael Saul for 3. After they had progressed to 17-1, Hooper picked up four wickets that reduced Police to 47-5 in 14.3 overs.
Young Berbice under-15 right arm leg spinner Shawn Perreira joined the fray and picked up three wickets, including the danger man Newland for 2, to see them slip further to 87-8 and out of the game.
However, number 4 batsman Jerry Heyliger was still there and he and Winston Rose put on a face-saving 45-run partnership. He finished on an amazing 89 (4×4, 5×6).
Police eventually folded on 132 all out from 35 overs. No other batsman reached double figures. Bowling for RHT, Hooper took 4-21 from 8 overs and Perreira 3-18 from 7 overs.
Rose Hall Town Windies Sports will therefore clash with defending champions Albion Community Centre in the final on Sunday at a venue to be announced.
