Compliments of a half century and a six-wicket haul from Rampertab Ramnauth, Port Mourant Cricket Club lifted the Berbice Cricket Board/Lillian Nandu Memorial Cup by beating the University of Guyana Elites by seven runs Sunday.
Playing at home, Port Mourant’s second-division team, which is sponsored by former West Indies Under-19 player, Arjune Nandu, marked a return to senior cricket after nearly two years, securing their first senior title after nearly 12 years.
The hosts won the toss and batted on a flat pitch, posting 145 for five from their allotted overs.
They then dismissed the Elites for 138 in 19.1 overs.
Port Mourant was unsettled early when Madan Budram was bowled by Junior Blair (1-34) for one with the score on 10.
Daniel Samaroo and West Indies Under-15 opener, Ramnauth, however, added 73 for the second wicket.
Samaroo carved three fours and one six in his top score of 52 not out while Ramnauth, who was dropped on seven, laced four boundaries in his even 50 before he was caught at short mid-wicket by Linden Austin off of David Oliver (1-22).
Andy Mohan made a brisk 14 but was caught at extra cover off of Jonathan Rampersaud (1-17). Nevertheless, Parsram Tilkuram joined Samaroo to put on an unfinished 43-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
Ramnauth returned to test the UG batsmen, who flunked the test, finding no answers to his leg breaks as he ended with 6-31.
Brandon Corlette was trapped leg before wicket to Budram in a wicket-maiden second over but Philbert Wilburg steered the chase along with Rampersaud, the pair adding 68 for the second-wicket.
Rampersaud was stumped off of Ramalho for 12 while Wilburg stroked four sixes and five fours before he was trapped leg before wicket to Ramalho.
Wilburg unsettled Rampersaud in his first over with two sixes but with the right hander out of the way, the 16-year-old leggie worked his way through the UG batting order.
With 23 needed from 24 balls, UG collapsed as Ramnauth trapped Blair leg before wicket before bowling Collis Green and taking a sharp return catch off of Oliver, all of whom failed to score. Ramnauth also had Colin Bynoe (06) and Calvin Bullet (01) stumped.
Austin was the only other batsman to reach double figures with 19, featuring two boundaries before he was stumped off of Budram.
Earlier, Port Mourant marched into the final following a 29-run win over Tamarind Root. Reduced to a 10-over affair after early morning showers, Tamarind Root won the toss and inserted the hosts who made 83 from their allotted overs and lost five wickets along the way.
Budram stroked two sixes and four fours on his way to 53 while Port Mourant were gifted 13 extras.
In reply, Tilkuram uprooted the Tamarind Root batting order to end with four wickets for just five runs. He got support from Salim Khan who took two wickets for six runs as well as Samaroo and Budram with one wicket each. Hermon Ganesh top scored for Tamarind Root with 19 while Rajendra Deonarain made 14. Five batsmen failed to come off the mark.
UG made their way into the final after beating Tain/Johns/Clifton Sports Club by 52 runs.
UG won the toss and batted in the 10-over affair where they posted 90 for seven. The batting centered on Rampersaud (24) and Austin (22). Blair (14) and Green (12) had vital cameos while Jaipaul Brijnauth picked up 2-17.
In the chase, Tain/Johns/Clifton crawled to 39 for six when their overs ended with David Ragulam top scoring with 13.
