The Universal DVD Berbice Titans added another accolade to its growing list with a comfortable 85-run win over the Carib Beer East Coast Jaguars in the Arrival Day T20 Championships yesterday at the Albion Community Centre ground.
In the match reduced to 12-overs-a-side because of time, the Berbicians ferociously attacked the bowling notching up 155-4 with their captain Royston Crandon hitting a quickfire 54.
He received the support of Rajiv Ivan who was left unbeaten on 41, with wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble and Jonathan Foo setting the early pace with 21 and 10 respectively.
The Demerarians in reply, were at a disadvantage from the beginning: psychologically, with the total they had to overhaul and the fading afternoon light. They eventually could only muster 70-6 with Wasim Haslim and Chris Patadin scoring 18 runs each; their next highest scorer was Zaheer Mohammed with 10.
Spinner Stephen Latcha was the pick of the bowlers with 2-14 as the Jaguars failed to gather any momentum.
Meanwhile, when the Berbice batsmen took to the field after winning the toss, Hussain and Bramble took the score to 14 before Hussain was run out for five. Bramble, on the other hand, continued to be the aggressor.
It was not easy going for pacer Leon Scott who was guilty of bowling too many no-balls. And Foo added to Scott’s troubles when he gracefully lifted him over long on for six. Further, when the batsmen were not muscling the bowlers around, their running between the wickets was good.
This did not last long though, with Foo getting caught at midwicket for 10 off the bowling of Kumar Bishundial. Shortly after, Bramble was caught on the long off boundary for 21 but the rapid scoring rate continued as Demerara conceded 81 runs from seven overs.
Ivan and Crandon were ruthless, dispatching bowlers to all parts of the ground. Off spinner Clive Andries bled runs with 15 coming off his introductory over, including two consecutive sixes over midwicket by Crandon.
He then greeted off-spinner Zaheer Mohammed in the next over with a six over long on.
He followed up that shot with back to back fours to backward square and extra cover respectively, stroked another six to wide long on and then scored a single to midwicket to bring up his half century.
Four runs later, Crandon was stumped by Rupert Perry off the bowling of Troy Gonsalves. Ivan reverse swept Mohammed to the third man boundary to close his team’s innings at 155-4 from their 12 overs. He was left undefeated on 41.
After the game Crandon said that it felt good to win another title although some felt that they could not have won with the young team, which was missing some of the usual top names.
In the first game of the day Foo pounced on the West Berbice Blazers to put them out of contention with a comprehensive 147-run victory. Foo blasted a savage unbeaten 105 that was decorated with 14 boundaries from a mere 44 deliveries. He also shared in an 81-run second wicket partnership with Hussain, who was a mere onlooker to Foo’s destruction.
In the end Hussain was dismissed for 39, which included four fours and a six. Subsequently, Berbice lost some wickets during their quest for more quick runs: Bramble made 19 (4×4), Crandon stroked 15 and Michael Newland was left out on six as the defending champions closed their innings on 232-6.
Waquar Hassan, bowling for West Berbice, took 3-43. When West Coast started their reply they lost wickets at crucial periods before they folded at 85-9 with only Romain Boodram (32) and Pooran Persaud (15) offering any resistance.
Crandon starred with the ball, capturing 3-10 while Foo supported with 2-16.
On the other hand, the Georgetown Pitbulls’ 118 was not enough to stave off the East Coast in the second semi-final match of the day. In that match wicketkeeper Jamal Hinckson top scored with an unbeaten 33, which included two fours, while Robin Bacchus and skipper Leon Johnson chipped in with 26 and 23 runs respectively.
Skipper Mohammed marshalled his bowling detail to finish with 3-23 as Kumar Bishundial had 3-17 and Imran Khan, 2-11. When East batted they were given a solid start by the aggressive Haslim, whose 31 included five fours and a six.
However, it was Troy Gonsalves who would see the team home with an enterprising undefeated 38; Soonath Bharat stroke a valuable 20 (3×4) in the middle.
Left arm spinner Raj Nanan was the best of the Pitbulls’ bowlers with 2-19.
