As the Friends of Adams/Team Daniels Cricket Development T20 tournament bowled off yesterday, Jaguars, New Opportunity Corps (NOC) and Venom recorded first round wins.
Playing at the Golden Fleece Ground under blistering sunshine and heavy vegetation around the field, the first match of the day saw Jaguars registering a comfortable 49-run win over Golden Fleece Under-19s.
After a late start, the 15-over contest was reduced to 12 overs a side with Jaguars winning the toss and opting to bat. The visitors posted 121 for three with the Under-19s scampering to 72 for eight when their overs ended.
Eighteen-year-old Orin Gibson led with the bat for Jaguars with a blistering 66, highlighted by three sixes and four fours. His 42-ball innings allowed him to share a 68-run partnership for the second wicket with Shaieed Khan (16) before being run out. Reyon DeCoasta also chipped in with 20 not out, laced with two sixes. In reply, the youth side was rocked early as South Essequibo Cricket Committee chairman, Fezal Mohamed, grabbed three wickets for six runs. He received support from Anthony Osborne who took 2-21.
Rohan Persaud top scored with 19 while Jarred Allicock made 17.
In the second match, NOC defeated Scheme Gunners by seven wickets despite a half century from Norman Fredericks.
Gunners won the toss and opted to bat but could only manage 110 for four from their allotted 12 overs. NOC, in reply, raced to 112 for three in 9.2 overs.
Fredericks’ innings of 79 not out was highlighted by two fours and seven sixes, three of which were consecutively hit off of Joshua Paul in the final over.
The left-hander added 47 for the second wicket with his younger brother, Royan (16). Anthony Davis picked up two wickets for 18 for NOC.
In the chase, Kevon Boodie gave his team a solid start with a cameo of 21 while adding 38 for the opening partnership with Mark Gonsalves.
Gonsalves, who was fortunate to be dropped on 42, added one more run to his total and led the chase, hitting three sixes and three fours.
Gonsalves added 62 for the second wicket with Reaz Mohamed who was left not out on 35 while hitting one of his four sixes over the bowlers’ head to finish the game. Mathew Pellow picked up 2-24.
In the final game, Richie Looknauths’ all-round efforts ensured Venom an 80-run win over Crown XI.
Venom won the toss and elected to bat and duly reached 156 for five from their allotted overs. Crown XI were restricted to 76 all out in 11.1 overs.
Looknauth hammered three fours and five sixes on his way to 61 while getting support from Romario Mohabir who made 43 with half a dozen sixes and David Williams with 22. Leg-spinner, Mahendra Raj picked up 2-21 while off-spinner, Ramsingh Tajbally bagged 2-23.
In the chase, Crown XI had a solid start as Besham Dasrat hit Williams for three sixes in the second over but only managed 21 while Shannon Jagmohan made 16.
Looknauth returned to take 3-16 and his efforts were complemented by Sachin Persaud (3-18) and Ramkissoon Seeram (2-6). The tournament continues next week.
