Motie spins web around RHTGG batsmen as Albion take title

IN A FINAL which had high expectations of being competitive and the first time a Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) final was being played under lights, hosts Albion Cricket Club, on the back of left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai’s five-wicket haul, made light work of Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets last Saturday, to take the BCB/ Berbice Bridge Company Inc. first division 50-overs title.The home team dismissed RHTGG for 116 in 36.1 overs, as Motie took 5 for 22 off 7.1 overs, before coasting to 120-2 off 27 overs to complete the win and take the $100 000 first place prize and trophy, leaving their opponents to settle for $50 000 and a trophy.
As was expected, the home team employed an all-spin attack against their opponents and saw Narsingh Deonarine commencing the damage early, when he removed Delbert Hicks (24) and Keon Sinclair in quick succession to leave RHTGG tottering at 63-3 in the 23rd over.
Motie was brought on two overs later and immediately had Rajiv Ivan dismissed for 15, as the visitors slumped to 89-4, before he accounted for the dismissal of Shawn Pereira, Royston Crandon (29), Vidal Crandon and had the last man Troy Mathieson caught on the long boundary to complete his five-wicket haul.
Deonarine finished with 2-21 off his seven overs and Shiraz Ramcharran 2-22 off nine for Albion, who were asked to bat for 55 minutes before the interval, during which time they lost Anthony Bramble (0) who was bowled off the second ball of the innings by Mathieson to be 1-1.
Deonarine, an out-of-favour West Indies batsman, joined Kandasammy Surujnarine and immediately announced his presence with three boundaries in one over.
Surujnarine then joined in the run-scoring, but later fell leg-before to Eon Hooper for 22 just before the interval, which was taken with the hard-hitting Jonathan Foo and Deonarine at the wicket for the home team, frustrating the RHTGG bowlers.
With 23 overs completed and a further ten runs needed for victory, Deonarine and Foo played some excellent shots but on the less-than-perfect Albion outfield they did not reach the boundary and the batsmen refused to run, creating a stir among the crowd.
Foo eventually was no longer patient and hit a four and a six in successive balls to end the frustration for RHTGG and the contest, with Deonarine unbeaten on 64 (7×4) and Foo 35 (2×6, 1×4).