Defending champions Rose Hall Town Namilco Thunderbolt Flour moved one step closer to retaining their Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club/Berbice Cricket Board/Busta Champion-of- Champions 40-over title with a four-wicket win over Tucber Park yesterday.
In their semi-final clash at the desolate Area ‘H’ venue, the hosts Thunderbolts won the toss and inserted Tucber Park to bat, containing them to 159 in 36.1 overs.
Under cool conditions and with a spin-friendly wicket, Thunderbolts survived a late scare after a positive start to reach 160-6 in 34.4 overs.
The visiting opening pair forged a 63-run partnership but when Malcolm Mickle was trapped leg before wicket by leg-spinner Shawn Perreria for 19, Tucber Park slipped from 63 without loss to 94-6.
Opener, Clifton Lindie was dismissed for the top score of 47, with seven boundaries.
However, a spirited seventh-wicket partnership of 51 between captain, Anthony D’Andrade (20) and Damion Vantull (38) brought the New Amsterdam-based club up to a respectable total before seamer, Keon Sinclair wrecked the lower order, finishing with 3-42.
Off-spinners, Eon Hooper (2-20) and Jonathan Rampersaud (2-12) as well as Perreria (2-28) were the main wicket takers.
In reply, a 95-run opening stand laid the foundation for Thunderbolts with Khemraj Mahadeo playing an aggressive role in his top score of 47.
Mahadeo made Tucber Park pay for dropping him twice on 17 and 32, both chances on the ropes and resulted in boundaries. His innings was decorated with three fours and three sixes, two of which were dispatched into the J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School behind the bowler’s mark.
Mahadeo was supported by an uncharacteristic innings by Junior Sinclair who was just happy to give him the strike and leave the good deliveries untouched.
After a brief ruffling of feathers from National pacer, Nial Smith, Sinclair became fluent before driving to cover for 32. He stroked three boundaries.
Like Tucber Park, Thunderbolts lost wickets in bundles as Devon Clements took 3-22, including the wickets of Mahadeo, Rampersaud (00) and Hooper (17) while Smith (2-32) returned to remove Jason Sinclair (25) leg before wicket and Delbert Hicks (02).
However, the 160 target was never going to be out of reach with Tucber Park gifting 30 extras.
The defending champions will meet Albion in the final later this month.
