FORMER national wicket-keeper batsman Delbert Hicks fired a commanding and unbeaten 85 off 62 balls to lead his team and defending champions Rose Hall Town Gizmos and Gadgets (RHTGG) into the finals of this year’s Busta ‘Champion of Champions’ tournament when they crushed Blairmont Community Centre (BCC) by eight wickets last Saturday. In the second semifinal, Port Mourant Karibee Rice defeated Edinburgh by four wickets, to advance to the final where they will face their neighbours at the Area ‘H’ ground on a date to be decided by the organizers.
BCC was invited to take first strike by their hosts and their openers Romesh Boodram and Karamchand Bissoondyal added 18 for the first wicket before national offspinner Royston Crandon bowled Boodram for 02 in the sixth over.
Crandon struck again in his next over the eighth of BCC’s innings, when he had Devendra Lalsa stumped by Jason Sinclair for 05 at 28 for 2, before he removed Bissoondyal for a patient 21 (3×4) to leave BCC on 35 for 3.
Middle order batsmen Deveshwari Prasad and Hardat Bridgelall steadied the innings with a stand of 39 before Prashad was run out for 21 and then off spinner Rajiv Ivan had Bridgelall caught by Khemraj Mahadeo at long on for 17.
Stubborn resistance from Omesh Mangal who struck three fours in his unbeaten 26 and Waqar Hassan, who also made 26 enabled Blairmont to eventually reach 158 all out off 44 overs, against the bowling of Crandon, Khemraj Mahadeo and Ivan who all took three wickets for 17, 23 and 34 runs respectively.
In their reply, Hicks and Renwick Batson added 24 for the first wicket before the impressive pacer Akram Rahaman had the latter lbw for 13.
Hicks was joined by Mahadeo and together they added 119 runs for second wicket, with both batsmen playing some delightful shots on both sides of the wicket, with Hicks being severe on anything short.
His half century came off 36 deliveries with five boundaries while RHTGG’s 100 came up in the 15th over before Mahadeo was eventually dismissed for a well played 40 (2×6, 3×4), which was the last success for BCC as Ivan who made an unbeaten 11 joined forces with Hicks to see their team to 163 for 2 from 21.2 overs.
A level headed innings of 70 not out by former Berbice wicket-keeper Shastri Persaud who shared several crucial partnerships with his teammates, led Port Mourant Karibee Rice to a four wickets victory over Edinburgh in the second semi final.
Edinburgh won the toss and amassed 200 all out in 46.1 of their allotted 50 overs, thanks to a solid 65 from Shafiq Khan (5×4) who received support from Yogendra Seepersaud (27), Denny David 25 and Jamal Henry 22, only to see their team slip from 195 for 6 in the 43rd over to their eventual total three overs and one ball later.
Bowling for the home team, Yogindra Harrinarine took 3 for 31 and off spinner Devendra Thakurdeen took 2 for 43 before Persaud’s innings guided them to 202 for 6 from 46.1 overs, with Thakurdeen returning to offer support with 43.
Shameer Khan (30) and Robert Moore with 20 offered support to Persaud and Thakurdeen against the bowling of Raid Ally who took 3 for 37 and Sasenarine Sukhdeo with 2 for 45.