The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and the Transport Sports Club (TSC) will clash in the final of the Toucan Distributors/Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) U15 competition after chalking up thrilling wins in their semifinals yesterday.
Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) sent in by the hosts DCC, posted 179 for seven off their allotted 50 overs which in the end proved not to be enough for the hosts powered home by two wickets.
Skipper Rivaldo Phillips, who was unlucky to miss out national U15 selection this year, led the way for GCC with a responsible knock of 56 which included four fours and a maximum.
Phillips also featured in a 74-run third wicket stand with Ariyan Persaud who looked quite elegant for his 37 which included three fours.
They were supported by budding all-rounder Thaddeus Lovell who provided lower order impetus with an unbeaten knock of 33, hammering four fours in the process.
Seamer Mark Sharma who was on a hat-trick at one point ended as the pick of the bowlers for DCC with 3-16 from seven overs while off-spinners Romeo Deonarain (2-21) and Inderjit Nanan (2-28) played ideal supporting roles.
DCC, in reply, quickly took the game away from the visitors on the back of a solid 93-run, second-wicket partnership between Nanan and Jaden Campbell which laid the ideal foundation for the chase.
Seamer Joash Charles (3-38) though struck a couple of blows to leave the score on 130 for five, including the prized wicket of Nanan.
Nanan struck four fours in his innings of 44 while Campbell stroked three fours in his knock of 33 as DCC nervously reached home at 181 – 8 in the 48th over on the back of smart, unbeaten knock of 27 from Gustavo Hutson who held his nerve to ensure his side registered a place in the final.
Left-arm spinner Persaud bowled well, grabbing 3-28 for GCC to back up his earlier efforts with the bat.
In the other semi-final TSC defeated Bel Air Rubis by 94 runs at the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) ground.
TSC won the toss and elected to bat and recorded 198 before being dismissed in the 44th over.
Chad Shivrattan led the way with 56 which included five fours and a maximum. He received support from Jonathan Adams who stroked three fours in a knock of 31.
Mahendra Singh (4-20) was the leading wicket-taker for Bel Air who were then bundled out 104 in 28.5 overs to hand TSC a slot in the final. Alvin Mohabir (4-20) was the pick of the bowlers as Mervyn Permaul (2-13), and Joshua Blackman (2-30) played supporting roles.
