By Royston Alkins
East Coast Under 15 cricket team yesterday retained the Demerara Inter-Association title at the Ogle Cricket Ground after their final round encounter against East Bank was abandoned without a ball being bowled.
The East Coast youngsters ended the competition on ten points after winning against Georgetown and West Demerara while gaining two points from yesterday’s abandoned game against East Bank.
A member of the team, in an invited comment after the presentation ceremony, told Stabroek Sports that he was satisfied with the win and pointed out that the win was the second in successive years.
Meanwhile, an official from the East Coast Association said that they are hoping to complete the `three-peat’ next year and plans to continue working with the team from as soon as today.
Quizzed what contributed to the team’s success over the last two seasons, the official referred to the Rubis Under 13 East Coast Cricket competition as being one of the main reasons for their success at the Under 15 level.
He pointed out that most of the current players came out of that tournament.
Meanwhile, Georgetown recorded its first victory in their final preliminary match when they defeated West Demerara by 46 runs at the Everest Cricket Club ground.
Another exciting low-scoring affair was witnessed by a handful of vociferous parents who cheered for every run and every wicket taken during the day.
Rain also intervened in that match which was reduced to 20-overs-a-side. Georgetown won the toss and elected to take first strike. The city boys were dismissed for 79 in the 20th over with Joel Gilkes, who batted at number six, top scoring with 16 from 18 balls. His innings included two fours. He got support from openers Ushardeva Balgobin and Brandon Jaikarran, who were the only other batsmen to reach double figures, scoring 12 and 10 respectively.
Fast bowling opening pair of Nathan Bradford (2-23) from six overs and Devindra Seenarine (3-19) from five overs, did the damage for West Demerara.
West Demerara, in reply, were dismissed for 33, the lowest total in the competition. Six of their batters failed to trouble the scores and were dismissed in typical “T20” fashion, disregarding batting fundamentals while trying to score quickly.
They were reduced to 8-3 in the fifth over as Pacer Negusa Walter took two early wickets (2-6). Left-arm orthodox spinner, Ronaldo Mohamed, who bowled with guile and flight, took 2 for 1 from three overs. Georgetown Cricket Club’s Arayan Persaud chipped in 2 for 3 with his left arm medium pace.
