Regal X1, Unstoppable, Karibee Rice Strikers & Rising Stars into quarters
FOLLOWING four more pulsating matches in the Super-16 round of action last Sunday at the Albion Community Centre ground, four more teams have marched into the quarterfinals of the 3rd GT&T 10/10 nationwide softball cricket competition. Witnessed by another huge, colourful and animated crowd, Regal X1, Unstoppable along with female winners Karibee Rice Strikers and Rising Stars booked their respective places as they all moved a step closer to the championship game.
The feature match of the day ended in controversial circumstances but the umpires awarded the match to Regal who had made 119-4 after winning the toss and electing to take first strike against Memorex. The latter were 112-9 in 9.4 overs when the game ended abruptly with Ahamad Khan and Sekander Mohamed at the crease.
Memorex needed 8 runs off the final two balls of the innings. With the adrenalin flowing at the crease and in the crowd, batsman Keron De Jesus hoisted the bowler to the long on boundary and while the batsmen were convinced that the ball would have cleared the boundary, it was gleefully caught by Chien Gittens on the boundary.
Both batsmen had ventured out of their respective creases but did not cross in mid pitch (verified by the standing umpires) which would have seen the non-striker going to the batting end.
Gittens stood his ground when he caught the ball as some players including the hitter of the ball felt that he caught the ball outside the playing area.
In the heat of the dispute, the non-striker (Ahamad Khan) it is understood was encouraged to go to the striker’s end since the team would have preferred him to face the last two deliveries rather than last man Sekander Mohamed.
But the umpires ruled against such a decision since the batsmen did not cross. Memorex captain Waheed Edwards later lodged a protest and this was after the game was held up for a while. The umpires again stood their ground; after informing Edwards of the situation and giving them the required 15 minutes under Law 21 (The Result) of the ICC Laws of Cricket 2003; the game was awarded to Regal X1.
Scores in the match: Regal X1 119-4 in 10 overs; the in-form Patrick Rooplall smashing 66 off 31 balls and clearing the boundary 7 times with one four. Chien Gittens made 20 off 11 with one six and a four. Joshua Garnett took 3-14 off 2-overs for Memorex who ended on 112-9 in 9.4 overs when the game ended in dispute.
Veerasammy Lallbachan curbed his natural hitting instinct to hit 38 off 21 balls (4×6). Vivian De Silva brought his team back into the game with a well-played 23 off 8 balls but was unfortunately run-out.
In another thrilling match that also saw an upset, Unstoppable, the Upper Corentyne Zone champs who were also the finalists of the inaugural competition defeated Universal Solutions Tigers, winners of the Central Corentyne Zone and 2011 losing finalists, by 24 runs.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Unstoppable reached 101-8 off their 10 overs. Opening batsman Surendranauth Sookdeo led the scoring with a swashbuckling 68 off 27 balls. Universal opening bowler John Percival was the leading wicket-taker with 3-14 off his quota of overs.
When it was their turn to bat, in need of 102 to win, their reputation suggested that it was going to be a gettable total but that was not how it turned out as they lost their first wicket with just 5 runs on the board and were never allowed to get going thereafter.
At one point the struggle was well and truly on with Universal being on the ropes at 49-8, eventually ending on 77-8 when the overs expired. Sookdeo capped a magnificent all-round display by returning with the ball to grab 3-7 off his two overs.
On the distaff side, it was easy sailing for the New Amsterdam-based Karibee Rice Strikers who mauled No.28 Warriors of West Coast Berbice by 77 runs.
Karibee Rice Strikers were invited to bat after losing the toss and they rattled up 116-4 in their 10 overs, Tessa Parks ended on 25* and captain Erva Giddings 21*, the two adding 38 in 3 overs in an unbroken 5th wicket partnership.
Nicola Bobb took 2-16 for No.28 Warriors who were limited to 39-9 fielding only 10-players in the game. Urmala Brandit was unplayable as she ended with 3-2 off 1.4 overs bowling for Karibee Rice Strikers.
The other female game saw Upper East Coast champions Rising Stars rise to the occasion to defeat Central Corentyne champs Albion Tigers by 8 wickets.
Winning the toss and electing to bat, Albion Tigers were bowled out for 71 after losing their first wicket with 4 runs on the board. Their leading player and captain, Nermala Sewdat led with 13 as Gailann Stanford grabbed 3-14 for Rising Stars who, in response, coasted to 72-2 in 7 overs.
Mathana Cambridge (35) and Diana Prescott 22* set the perfect platform for victory by putting on 59 for the first wicket in 6 overs.