Surujnarine and Motie-Kanhai shine as ASC stop RHT Pepsi to take title
DESPITE a resilient 49 from former Windward Islands Under-15 wicketkeeper/batsman Vidal Crandon, Albion Sports Club (ASC) romped to a 27-run victory over defending champions Rose Hall Town Pepsi (RHT Pepsi) at the Area ‘H’ ground, to take the 2010 Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)-organised Spready’s Under-19 title yesterday.
Opting to bat first on a flat wicket after winning the toss, ASC scored 213 for 4 from their 50 overs, with Kandasammy Surujnarine leading the way with a responsible 64 against the bowling of Shawn Pereira who took 2-42 from his seven overs.
In their reply, the home team who were looking for a triple crown in this tournament, having won the title in 2008 and 2009, faltered throughout their innings against the bowling of Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai who took 4-13 from his 10 overs and were bowled out for 186 in the 47th over. 
When ASC batted, they raced to 61 without loss from 14.2 overs, with skipper Harrinarine Chattergoon (31) and looking positive against the pace/spin combination in that was in operation for RHT Pepsi.
Chattergoon was the more aggressive of the two, on-driving Dominic Rikhi for back-to-back boundaries, while a short delivery from Jamal Jarvis was sent crashing through point with authority by Chattergoon, beating a diving Pereira who was stationed in that area.
At the other end, Surujnarine struck Pereira for four between extra cover and cover twice in one over, while he turned Parmanand Narine off his legs to fine leg for another of his five fours, before Chattergoon, who had struck Narine through extra cover, was caught by Rikhi at short extra cover off the next ball.
Surujnarine was joined by Shiraz Ramcharran (14) and they added 33 for the second wicket before the latter was caught off Lloydel Lewis (1-27), before Surujnarine found a useful ally in Veerapen Permaul (31) and they took the score to 147-3 before Permaul was lbw to Pereira.
Permaul, who is the younger brother of national  left-arm orthodox spinner Veerasammy Permaul, added 53 for the third wicket from 12 overs with Surujnarine, hitting four fours in his 31, while Surujnarine posted his half-century during the partnership.
Andy Mohan (17) and Rajindra Dasrath (13) joined Surujnarine but failed to hang around, as the RHT Pepsi spinners, led by West Indies female all-rounder Shemaine Campbelle and Lewis kept a tight rein on the ASC batsmen.
Such pressure resulted in Surujnarine going via run-out, as a Pereira return from short midwicket to Rikhi found him short of his ground when he looked to steal a cheeky single in the 43rd over of his side’s innings at 171-4.
Loose ground fielding from the home team, enabled their visitors to reach 213 for 6 at the end of their 50 overs, with Mahendra Naidu hitting the final delivery of the innings bowled by Rikhi, over long on for six in his unbeaten 22.
Asked to bat nine overs before the luncheon break, RHT Pepsi got to 26 with Jarvis who was used as a pinch-hitting opener, striking three fours before he was bowled off the final delivery before the break by Chattergoon for 13, leaving Rikhi unbeaten on 8.
Two quick strikes by Motie-Kanhai who bowled unchanged after lunch, accounted for Pereira (8) and Rikhi (13) and when Narine was bowled by Motie-Kanhai after hitting Permaul over long on for 6, RHT Pepsi were 63-4 in the 22nd over of their innings, with Campbelle joining Lewis.
Campbelle suggested permanence, when she drove Naidu all along the ground for four, but was caught by Permaul at mid on two deliveries later off the same bowler, followed by Trevor Thomas (0) and Lewis who was run-out attempting a quick single after compiling 31 that was decorated with four fours.
The 17-year-old Crandon and Kellon Sinclair (23) joined forces at the demise of Lewis and staged a positive recovery for their team, adding 45 valuable runs for the eighth wicket before Sinclair was smartly stumped by Mohan off Permaul in the 42nd over.
At 157 for 8 and needing 57 more for victory from eight overs, Hemchand Kaloo (3) joined Crandon but did not last long as he became the second RHT Pepsi to succumb via run-out going for a second run.
Crandon fought back by hitting Permaul for a four and six over midwicket to push his score to 44 and RHT Pepsi 176 for 9 after 45 overs.
But it was all over bar the shouting from the vociferous supporters of both teams, when Crandon was run-out after being sent back by Lenny Sanichar (8*), handing ASC ,who used an all-spin attack throughout the host team’s innings, a well-deserved victory.
Surujnarine was declared the man-of-the-match and received a trophy to that effect, while ASC received a cheque for $40 000 and a trophy and RHT Pepsi collected $30 000.