Unstoppable, 4R Lionness & Rising Stars also advance
ON another pulsating day of class action, four teams marched closer to the championship games of the 3rd GT&T/Ministry of Culture Youth & Sport/Guyana Softball League nationwide 10/10 cricket competition. In the first set of quarter final matches played at the Everest Community Centre Ground, Camp Road, Georgetown, defending champion Wolf’s Warriors cantered into the semi finals following an emphatic 96-run win over the hapless Mahaica Raiders in a lopsided feature match.
The other three teams who advanced did not have it that easy as the first team to advance did so in nerve racking fashion, by the slimmest of margins, one run.
When the dust settled in the opening game – a female encounter, Rising Stars advanced to the semis ahead of All Star Conquerors by one run, scoring 88-6 in their 10 overs and restricting All Star Conquerors to 87-5.
In the other female clash, Karibee Rice Strikers have only themselves to blame for their lackluster performance in the field (6 dropped catches) which resulted in 4R Lionness booking their final four slot with a 5-wicket win.
The other male game saw first year finalists Unstoppable defeating Linden’s Bayrock Blazers by 6 runs in another energising affair.
In the main attraction, Mahaica Raiders, riding on the back of some stirring results were hyped for the clash against the raging defending champs, Wolf’s Warriors. The Mahaica side won the toss and decided that they will field first and so invited the Warriors to set the pace by taking first strike.
Well, as it turned out, the pace ended being way too much for the Raiders as they were raided from the competition early in the piece.
Mohamed Karim, who batted right through the innings to end on 81* (7×6 3×4) sent the early sign that the defending champs were in a no nonsense mood by lofting the first two balls for sixes.
Karim, who has scored over 500 runs to date in the competition, tore into the Mahaica Raiders bowlers and despite losing fellow opening batsman Azad Azeez for a duck also in the opening over, by the end they were 15-1.
In came Captain Amreit Rai and the pair blasted the Mahaica bowlers to all parts of the Everest sward including many out of the ground; continuing their punishment of opposition bowlers like they did in their Super-16 match.
Rai and Karim took turns in hammering the bowlers as the score raced on; Mahaica trying for all their worth to restrict the two but to no avail. When rain departed for 39 (4×6) with the score on 104 in over number 7, the foundation was already laid for a huge total.
Karim brought up a well deserved half century with one of his 7 sixes and when the overs ran out, Wolf’s Warriors were 139-2; Safraz Karim ended on 4* but was a mere spectator to Mohamed whilst at the crease.
Mahaica Raiders were no match for the efficient bowling attack of the warriors and they were sent packing for 43 in 8.4 overs, a truly disappointing performance for their supporters who outnumbered the Warrior’s fans.
Only one batsman, Davindra Persaud (11) had a double figure score as Vishnu Tannechandra (2-1), Asif Saphie (2-7), Davenand Persuad (2-8) and Diaram Persaud (2-10) combined to destroy the batting of the Mahaica Raiders as they were soundly beaten by 96 runs. Wickets fell at 5, 10, 17, 20, 23, 32, 36, 41, 42, 42.
Unstoppable were taken to the hilt by the very competitive Bayrock Blazers, the latter falling short by 6 runs in the end, despite losing fewer wickets.
Unstoppable won the toss and decided to bat first, ending on 109-8 in their 10-overs. Opener Surendranauth Sookdeo batted through the innings and fell in the final over for a well compiled 53, Manhar Ratvatty 23 and Vinod Nankishore 22, the other main contributors.
Christopher Pollydore achieved the feat of taking a hat-trick in the penultimate over of the innings, he ended with 3-25. His teammate Jermaine Winfield almost emulated him, missing out on a similar achievement in the final over, he ended with 3-2.
Facing a total that was gettable, the Bayrock batters were kept on a tight rein by the Unstoppable bowlers and despite having wickets intact, Bayrock were short of the runs when their overs expired – 103-3.
Their best player, Leon Moseley, who opened the bowling and batting made the top score of 43 after being the most economical bowler. Dillon Williams was unbeaten on 38 and Keith Sullivan 5 when the game ended, close but not close enough.
Karibee Rice Strikers, the most colourful team on the day, batted first against 4R Lioness and were 92-4 when their 10 overs ended. Tessa Park made 39*, Trishanie Cort 18, Captain Erva Giddings 14 and Teneza Leonard 12.
4R Lionness in response were let off the hook on six occasions as the Karibee ladies failed to hold their catches which would have put a different spin on the game. As it ended, 4R Lioness knocked off the required runs ending on 93-5; Monique Benn 27, Jeanette Daniels 20 and Amanda Mohamed 12 were the leading run getters.
The opening game was a humdinger of a battle between All Star Conquerors and eventual winner, Rising Stars.
Rising Stars batted first and were 88-6 when their overs ran out; Dianna Prescott 32, Natasha Cambridge 21*, Mathawa Cambridge and Dianne Pompey 10 apiece, the main contributors.
In reply, All Star Conquerors were conquered, ending agonizingly close, one run short of victory on 87-5.
They required 14 in the final over and 5 from the last ball; the excitement was nerve racking on both sides as well as the fans who were all on the edges of their seats.
Akelah Castello made 32 and Nadeema Da Grella 19, she had earlier taken 3-11 with the ball.