LED by outstanding performances from middle-order batsman Jason Sinclair and former national player Andre Percival Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) defeated arch-rivals Young Warriors by 73 runs to win the first ever Associated Business Service (ABS) 40 overs cricket tournament.

Champions! The victorious RHTWSB team pose with Managing Director of Associated Business Solutions (ABS) Martin Singh (centre with cap) after they defeated Young Warriors in the final of the ABS 40-over tournament at the Rose Hall Estate Welfare Centre.

Playing in front of a large crowd at the Rose Hall Estate Welfare Centre, RHTWSB were asked to bat first and rattled up 225 for 9 off their allotted 40 overs. In reply Young Warriors could muster only 152 all out from 39.5 with veteran Hubern Evans scoring 23, offering the only real resistance to RHTWSB’s total.

RHTWSB’s openers Renwick Batson and Michael Rengasami started positively when they added 25 from four overs before Rengasami was bowled off the inside edge by fast bowler Jermaine Henry for 10.

Jason Sinclair then joined Batson and they added 74 for the second wicket before Batson was caught driving at veteran leg-spinner Anil Beharry for a well-played 42 (3×4, 2×6) at 94-2 in the 18th over.

Skipper and national player Assad Fudadin and Sinclair then took the score to 140 before Fudadin was bowled by off-spinner Farouk Hussain for 17. Sinclair was caught shortly after for a well-played 61 (3×4, 2×6) off 82 balls.

Solid middle-order batting from Percival (16), former national Under-19 player Khemraj Mahadeo (20) and Berbice Under-19 player Eon Hooper 30 not out (2×6) eventually saw RHTWSB to their total of competitive 225-9.

Bowling for Young Warriors, Charran Singh returned figures of 4-43, Farouk Hussain took 2-36 while Henry, Balram Samaroo and Beharry took one wicket each.

In reply Young Warriors lost opener Daryl Naraine at 11-1 in the thurd over when he was run-out but a second-wicket partnership of 65 in 14 overs between hard-hitting opener Farouk Hussain and national Under-19 player Seon Hetmeyer kept them in the hunt.

RHTWSB’s five-man spin attack, however, dashed their hopes on introduction and they were well supported in the field.

Hussain was trapped lbw by left-arm spinner Ravi Narine at 77-2 for a well-played 49 (3×4, 1×6) in the 17th over and then Hetmeyer was caught by Assad Fudadin off the bowling of Percival for 25 at 82-3 in the 20th over.

Former national Under-19 player Balram Samaroo and Ishar Singh took the score to 106 before Percival trapped Singh in front for 17. Wickets fell regularly and only Evans with 23 offered any resistance to the spin bowlers as Young Warriors were dismissed for 152 in 39.5 overs.

Percival ended with figures of 8-1-26-4 while Narine took 2-19 (8) and off-spinner Troy Mathieson 2-17 (7).

At the presentation ceremony Sinclair was named best batsman of the final and also copped the man-of-the-final for his 61 and three dismissals behind the stumps. Percival was named bowler-of-the-finals for his 4-26.

Sponsor of the tournament Martin Singh, Managing Director of ABS, praised the Berbice Cricket Board for their excellent organisation of the tournament and pledged his company’s support to continue the sponsorship in 2010.

Singh congratulated RHTWSB on their well-deserved victory and wished Young Warriors better luck in the next year.

RHTWSB received $50 000 and the winning trophy while the runners-up collected $25 000.