Akshaya Persaud stroked his third consecutive half century to see Cornelia Ida Cricket Club (CICC) advance to the semifinals of the West Demerara Cricket Board’s 50 overs competition with a 74-run hammering of Rising Stars on Sunday.
Play at the Canal Number 2 ground began late due to Rising Stars’ tardy entrance which resulted in the contest being reduced to 40-overs per side. The CICC posted 255-7 after being sent in to bat and limiting Rising Stars to 181 all out in 32.4 overs.
Persaud’s innings of 74 consisted of 10 fours and one six with support coming from his fellow West Demerara franchise team mate, Richie Looknauth with a solid 38, inclusive of a pair of fours and sixes. For the second time in as many matches, the pair put together a century stand, this time, 120 for the two who opened batting.
However, Looknauth was the first to depart after holing out to mid wicket off the bowling of Shane Persaud while the Guyana Jaguars’ batsman picked out the man at long off.
CICC, building on the foundation set from the openers were boosted by cameos from Mohammed Wazidali, Naveed Alli and Avinash Dhaniram. Wazidali and Dhaniram both stroked two sixes and one four for contributions of 32 not out and 22 respectively while Alli added 30, hitting three fours and two sixes.
Marvin Chung picked up 2-34 and was supported by Christian Husbands, Shane Persaud and Sachin Singh with one wicket each.
Rising Stars’ chase was plagued by the regular fall of wickets. Shane Persaud returned to top score with 46, containing eight boundaries as Shaquille Brisport managed 33 – the only real resistance for their side.
Harinarine Bissondyal bagged 3-22 to trigger a collapse in the middle as Alli and Looknauth snatched two wickets for 24 and 32 runs respectively. They were complemented by Akshaya Persaud, Dhaniram and Wazidali with one wicket each.
