FOR THE THID successive year, Enterprise ‘Busta’ Sports Club (EBSC) were crowned the East Coast Cricket Board (ECCB) / Trophy Stall Under-19 champions after they defeated Better Hope Sports Club by 34 runs at the Better Hope Community Centre last Sunday.Winning the toss on a bright sunny day, EBSC elected to bat with a large crowd in attendance, but lost both openers in Bhaskar Yadram and Sewchan Gangaram early, to be 8 for 2, before Afzal Rohoman and Zaman Rasheed steadied the innings and pushed the score to 50 for 3, before Rohoman was dismissed for 27 (4×4).
Rasheed went for 14 making way for Captain Vivian Albert with the score on 66-4, who together with Pradesh Balkishun, worked the ball around to reach 103 for 4 in the 18th over before Albert was dismissed for 28 (3×4, 1×6), followed by Balkishun for 30 (4×4).
EBSC were heading into trouble with the score on 131 for 6, losing Shivnarine Gobin (02), but Danesh Ally staged a mini recovery and pushed them to 150 for 7, before they ended on 190 all out in 38 overs, with Troy Mangal blasting a five ball 19 (2×6, 1×4).
Chandra Mohan 3 for 30, Kishan Sookram 3 for 39 and Silvan Kowlessar 2 for 40 did the damage with the ball for Better Hope, who lost Vickram Paul (02) at 8 for 1, when they began their reply.
Prakash Debidyal replaced him and together with Randy Dhanraj, pushed the score to 49 for 2 before Dhanraj was bowled for 28 (2×4, 2×6), followed by Debidyal who went for 23 at 69 for 3.
Reaz Mohamed 32 (4×4) and Sookram 19 (1×6) looked to repair the damage, but when they were both dismissed to leave the score on 130 for 5, Mohan offered resistance with his 18, but the task was too much for the lower order batsmen and the home side crumbled for 156 all out.
The unplayable Bhaskar Deodat finished with 4 for 8 and Yadram 2 for 40, doing the damage with the ball for the eventual champions.
At the presentation ceremony, President of Better Hope Sports Committee Jagnarine Singh who presented the ‘Player-of-the-Match’ trophy lauded the ECCB and its president Bissoondyal Singh for the excellent work done throughout the East Coast.
ECCB president Bissoondyal Singh commended both teams for reaching the final and congratulated the EBSC for wining the prestigious Trophy Stall competition especially for the third consecutive year, as he also expressed gratitude to Mr. Ramesh Sunich for sponsoring the tournament and for his continuous contribution towards the development of the youths on the East Coast.