ACTION in the 2011 Berbice Cricket Board-organised, Ramcharitar Construction Service-sponsored, first division limited overs knockout competition got started last Saturday with Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets and Port Mourant Karibee Rice registering victories. Overnight rain prevented any play in the other two matches which would have seen Edinburgh oppose West Berbice at Edinburgh and Police take on Skeldon Community Centre at Cumberland.
At Port Mourant, rain prevented an early start and when play got under way, the game was reduced to a T20 affair in which the home team came out victorious over Blairmont Community Centre by six runs. 
The home team lost the toss and, asked to take first strike by their guests, managed to reach 120 for 4 in their 20 overs with former Guyana Under-19 batsman Moshin Peerkhan batting through the innings to hit an unbeaten 50 that was decorated with two fours. 
Former Essequibo player Robert Moore offered support with an unbeaten 17, while Shabeer Baksh took 2 for 27 from his four overs of off-spin for Blairmont, who got a good start when they began their reply, as Devendra Lalsa (38) and Andrew Jainauth (21) added 53 for the first wicket.
They were cruising along at 83 for 1 when former Berbice Under-19 off-spinner Rajendra Bolo took three wickets in one over  and together with off-spinner Devendra Thakurdeen, reduced Blairmont to 84 for 5.
They recovered to be 100 for 5 but again they lost four quick wickets to be 106 for 9 and needing to score 15 off the final over, they only got 8 to end on 114 for 9, as Bolo ended with 4 for 25 and Thakurdeen 2 for 22 from their four overs each.
Over at the Area ‘H’ ground, the home team faced Young Warriors and scraped home by two wickets, thanks to the batting of national skipper and West Indies ‘A’ team player Assad Fudadin in a match which was reduced to 28 overs due to rain.
Young Warriors were asked to take first strike by their hosts and were bowled out for 122 from 27.4 overs, with Wahied Edwards hitting 42 and former Guyana Under-15 all-rounder Kevin Ramdeen 21, while Berbice Under-19 right-arm leg-spinner Shawn Pereira took 3 for 17 and Eon Hooper 2 for 12.
When Rose Hall took to the crease, they were soon in deep trouble at 30 for 5 compliments of medium pacer Amir Rahaman who picked up three and former Berbice Under-19 left-arm pacer Devendra Ramoutar two.
However, Fudadin found a useful ally in Neil Williams, who was playing his first game for the host team on his return from Trinidad and Tobago where he resided for the past five years, and they added 37 for the sixth wicket before Williams fell to former Berbice all-rounder Balram Samaroo for 17.
National Under-19 all-rounder Clinton Pestano joined Fudadin and together they added another 39 for the seventh wicket before Pestano (17) and Hooper (2) fell in quick succession to leave their team in a shaky position at 108 for 8.
However, Fudadin who made an unbeaten 51 with six fours found another useful ally in Pereira and together they took their team to 126 for 8 from 25 overs to complete the victory, with Pereira being unbeaten on 4.
Bowling for Young Warriors, Rahaman took 3 for 9, Ramoutar 2 for 21 and Samaroo 2 for 27 as they tried desperately to create an upset win for their team.
The competition continues on Saturday with the playing-off of the remaining first-round matches including the aforementioned two that were washed out, along with the postponed fixture between Albion Community Centre and Bermine.