… Joseph claims historic helmet-trick  
THE 2010 Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)-organised, Tenelec Incorporated-sponsored, first division 50 overs cricket competition continued last weekend with second- and third-round action at venues across the Ancient County, in which national fast bowler Keon Joseph took an historic helmet-trick.
Young Warriors and Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets (RHTGG) both recorded victories as young cricketers in the County continued to excel in the absence of their senior counterparts and provided more evidence that the BCB’s huge investment in youths is bearing the necessary results.
Among young cricketers performing well were Under-17 players Shawn Perreira, Shimron Hetmyer, Romario De Jonge, Richard Ramdeen, Parmanand Narine and Under-19 players Clinton Pestano, Joemal La Fleur and Kelvin Leitch.  
At the Cumberland ground, West Berbice defeated Bermine by 92 runs in a third round encounter which saw Joseph who is a national first class and West Indies Under-19 fast bowler take the first helmet-trick in local cricket.
Skipper Krisendat Ramoo top-scored with 52 (5×6) and received support from Kwesi Mentore 27 and Steffon Adams 22 as West Berbice reached 176 before they were bowled out in the 44th over, with left-arm spinner Troy Mickle 6-26 and national Under-15 all-rounder Romario De Jonge 2-16 being the wicket-takers.
In reply, Bermine fell for a meagre 86, with only the La Fleur brothers, Joemal 30 and Eugene 10 reaching double figures as Joseph ripped through their batting to take five wickets in five balls (helmet-trick) to end with 5-21 in a very hostile spell, while Ramoo returned with the ball to take 3-14.
Round two was played last Saturday in which Young Warriors, Port Mourant, Albion, Bermine and RHTGG recorded victories while the West Berbice/Police encounter was not played due to the unavailability of the Blairmont ground.
At the Edinburgh ground, Bermine rattled up an imposing total of 306 for 6 from their 50 overs, with Berbice ‘A’ team skipper Eugene La Fleur hitting 116 (13×4, 2×6), Romario De Jonge 63 (6×4), Kelvin Leitch 52 not out and Joemal La Fleur 30 being the principal scorers.
Raid Ally was the only Edinburgh bowler to escape punishment, ending with 2-36 from his 10 overs, but they fell for 151 from 35.2 overs, with Denny David 24 and Chris Yadram 21 offering resistance to Troy Mickle 4 for 30, Eugene La Fleur 2 for 16, Trishan Harry 2 for 29 and Jeomal La Fleur 2 for 38.
At Port Mourant, the home team crushed Scottsburg United by nine wickets, dismissing their opponents for 82 in 24 overs with Anthony Bramble 36 and Mark Lionel 16 reaching double figures as Shameer Khan 4 for 33 and Rajendra Bolo 2 for 2 bowled well for Port Mourant.
Karibee Rice in reply raced to 83-1 in 8 overs, with Moshin Peerkhan 53 not out and Mahendra Veerasammy 23 adding 81 for the first wicket before the latter was run-out.
At the Cumberland ground, 14-year-old Shimron Hetmyer stroked an attractive and unbeaten 70 to lead Young Warriors to a comprehensive eight-wicket victory over Blairmont.
Blairmont batted first and scored 129 in 36.4 overs with M. Ally 40 and Nedesh Basdeo 22 being the principal scorers against the bowling of 15-year-old Kevin Ramdeen who took 5 for 34 with his off-spin and Amir Rahaman 2 for 25 for Young Warriors who knocked off the total easily, reaching 130 for 2 off 17.2 overs with Farouk Hussain 29 and Balram Samaroo 19 not out supporting Hetmyer.
Home team RHTGG had to dig deep in their reserves to come away with the victory against a spirited Skeldon Community Centre at the Area ‘H’ ground.
National Under-15 player Parmanand Narine blasted a stroke-filled 65 (8×4) and received support from Gavin Nauth 30 as Skeldon made 179 against the bowling of national Under-15 captain Shawn Perreira (3- 38) and off-spinner Lloydel Lewis who took 2-23.
Berbice Under-19 player Clinton Pestano guided RHTGG to a five-wicket victory with a responsible 70 and received support from veteran Renwick Batson 30, Jason Sinclair 25 and Berbice ‘A’ Team selectee Eon Hooper 30 not out. They ended on 180 for 5 in 26 overs. Medium pacer Nauth took two expensive wickets for 61 runs.
Defending champions Albion Community Centre easily disposed of the hapless Rose Hall Community Centre by six wickets at Albion, after the visitors struggled to 114 for 9 off 50 overs as former national Under-19 player Ervin Mangru spun web around them to take 3 for 30 and S. Dwarka 2 for 14.
Batting for Rose Hall Canje, Sadanand Mohabir struck two fours in his unbeaten 35 and Dinesh Raneshant 16 were the top scorers, after which Berbice ‘A’ Team selectee Ranga Lachigadoo Latchana 35 not out and Harrinarine Chattergoon 28 led Albion to 117 for 4 in 22.4 overs, with Keshan Gangaram taking 3-32 for Rose Hall Canje.
The third round was played last Sunday with three matches, as Scottsburg United granted a second walkover to a team while two matches, Blairmont versus Edinburgh at Blairmont and Port Mourant versus Skeldon, were not played due to activities at the grounds.
At the Area ‘H’ ground, RHTGG recorded their third successive victory in the tournament with a four-wicket victory over arch rival Albion.
Both clubs were fielding depleted teams with a combined seven national players in South Africa with the Guyana Amazon Conquerors. Albion, who took first strike, were dismissed for 148 in 33 overs after losing the toss.
Harrinarine Chattergoon (45) and Latchana led the scoring while Perreira took 4-37 and Troy Mathieson 2 for 31 for RHTGG who reached 149 for 6 from 46.2 overs, with the elegant Hooper scoring 60 (4×4, 3×6), Batson 37 and Delbert Hicks 15.
Latchana took 2 for 28 while national left-arm spinner Veerasammy Permaul, who returned from the West Indies Cricket Board’s (WICB) High Performance Centre last Friday, had the remarkable bowling figures of 10-4-8-1.
At the Edinburgh ground, treasurer of the BCB Anil Beharry rolled back the years with an aggressive 38-ball unbeaten 77 that was decorated with nine fours and four sixes to lead Young Warriors to a massive 142-run victory over Police.
Young Warriors scored 276 for 8 off their allotted 44 overs and with Beharry receiving support from Maxie De Jonge 42 and Farouk Hussain 32, while Michael Newland (3-19), Andel Doris 2-46 and Kellon Henry 2-78 being the wicket-takers for Police who in reply fell for 134 in 27 overs with Rocky Hutson 34 and Albert Sinclair 29, while Hussain took 6-25 and left-arm pacer Devindra Ramoutar 2- 38 for the winners.
Meanwhile, the BCB Competitions Committee would meet this week to discuss the future of Scottsburg United’s participation in future first division competitions organised by the BCB.