RHTWSB thrashed North Essequibo by 75 runs at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground and Albion made light work of MSC by 48 runs at the Albion Community Centre ground. RHTWSB scored 249-7 with Assad Fudadin making an aggressive 88 while Narsingh Deonarine, continuing in his rich vein of form, punished the MSC bowlers with a stroke-filled 92 as Albion reached 203 all out from 39.4 overs.
The team from the Cinderella County replied to RHTWSB’s total with 174 all out in 38.3 overs with Navin Bahadur top scoring with 45. MSC on the other hand painstakingly reached 155 all out from 37.1 overs with Deon Ferrier making a polished 53 against Albion.
Albion, after being precariously poised at 46-4 in the 13th over, recovered to post their eventual target with a 109-run partnership between Deonarine and Ranga Latchana who finished on 35 from 65 balls. Deonarine’s 92, which came from 86 balls was decorated with seven boundaries before he was run out in the 38th over.
Bowling for MSC was their captain Steven Jacobs who had a match haul of 4-29 from 7.4 overs and he found support in Lennox Cush who took two wickets for 22 runs and Ferrier 1-24 from eight overs.
When MSC batted Ferrier stroked two boundaries and a six in his 81-ball innings while Cush scored a more flamboyant 44 from 58 balls which included five boundaries. Captain Ervin Mangru was the chief wicket taker against MSC with 3-35 (8) while Davendra Bishoo and Sewnarine Chattergoon lent great support with figures of 2-26 (8) and 2-31 (8) respectively.
Over at the Anna Regina ground, wicketkeeper Delbert Hicks stood in good company with an even half century. Royston Crandon, who recently returned from South Africa after participating in the ICC Champions Trophy Tournament, was also among the runs with a breezy 44.
Earlier, after RHTWSB lost the toss, the consistent left handed, middle order batsman Fudadin took control with his authoritative stroke play. He stroked three boundaries and hit five mighty sixes. Hick’s 50 included five boundaries and two maximums and Crandon’s knock was embellished with four sixes.
Medium pacer Suresh Persaud was the most successful bowler for North Essequibo with 2-25 (4). Punraj Singh, Elroy Stephney and Vishwanauth Lall all ended with one wicket apiece.
Michael Cummings ripped through North Essequibo when he picked up four wickets for 35 runs from 6.3 overs. Navin Bahadur was the only batsman to offer any real resistance with a confident 45 that included two sixes and two fours.
Rajiv Manichand (2×4) and Stephney (1×4, 1×6) made 25 and 21 to add some semblance of respectability to their team’s total. Crandon returned with the ball to take 2-33 from eight overs. Captain Esaun Crandon, Renwick Batson, Ravi Narine and Eon Hooper had one wicket each.
The final will be a day/night match on October 18 at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence.
