Fudadin, Bishoo shine as RHTGG, Albion advance to final
THANKS to a solid all-round effort from Assad Fudadin and Devendra Bishoo, defending Berbice 40-overs champions Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets (RHTGG) and arch rivals Albion Cricket Club have advanced to the final of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)-organised Ramcharitar Construction Firm-sponsored limited overs final.
The top-seeded teams advanced after recording victories in the semifinals, with RHTGG thrashing Port Mourant by eight wickets while Albion overcame some scary moments to get past Scottsburg by three wickets.
Playing at the Port Mourant ground, the home team was invited to take first strike by the visiting RHTGG team and immediately the batsmen found themselves in trouble when Tony McKenzie was caught behind by Jason Sinclair off pacer Eon Gibson.
Skipper Steven Latcha, batting at number three was given a hostile time by Gibson before he was caught at second slip by Eon Hooper for 3, at 16 for 2 in the fifth over.
But a patient 35 from Moshin Khan, 21 from Shameer Khan 21 and Chandradat Gobin, 39, which was decorated with two sixes and a similar number of fours coupled with Gobin’s 46 runs ninth-wicket partnership with Sasenarine Ernest, took Port Mourant who were 104-8, to 150 before they were bowled out in the 36th over of their innings.
RHTGG’s skipper Assad Fudadin with 3-29, along Eon Hooper, Ravi Narine and Gibson who took two wickets each for 6, 23 and 36 runs respectively, ensured their team did not have much work to do in reply.
Sinclair (45*) and Fudadin (40*) returned to share an unbeaten 70-run third-wicket partnership for their team who lost Dominic Rickey (20) and Khemraj Mahadeo (25) to be 81-2, before they ended on 151-2 from 34 overs to book their place in the final.
Over at the Albion ground, Scottsburg batting first rattled up 186 for 9 off the allotted 40 overs against the home team, with several batsmen making useful contributions.
Opener Mark Lionel and Deoprakash Ramdat with 26 each and national Under-19 skipper Anthony Bramble 33 batted well in the top order before veterans Robert Moore and skipper James Hart (26) added a crucial 35-run ninth-wicket partnership.
Bowling for Albion, national leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo got 5-30 off eight overs, before the home, who needed to score at over 4.5 runs per over, found themselves in some trouble at 56 for 3 in the 12th over.
Manoj Pooranauth (33) and Bishoo 30 added 45 for the fourth wicket, while national opener Sewnarine Chattergoon, batting in the middle order, scored 18 before he was adjudged lbw for 18 off Hart, as Albion found themselves in deeper trouble at 163 for 7 in 33 overs.
Skipper Orvin Mangru and A. Ishak then played calmly to take them home at 188 for 7 in 38 overs with Mangru unbeaten on 18 and Ishak on 11.
Earlier Ramnarine Chattergoon scored an attractive 30 while left-arm spinner Moore ended with 2 for 34 off eight overs and Errol Byass 2 for 47 for Scottsburg.
The final of the inaugural tournament will be contested tomorrow at the Port Mourant ground, between RHTGG and Albion, commencing at 09:30 h.