OUTSTANDING all-round performances from two former national Under-15 cricketers, Shailendra Shameer and Arif Chan, piloted Rose Hall Town Bakewell to an easy eight-wicket victory over Police in their semi-final of the 2011 Memorex/Leslie Amsterdam Memorial Under-17 cricket competition. In the match which was played at Rose Hall Town Area ‘H’ ground, Police, winning the toss and electing to take first strike, soon found themselves 48 for 3 before Clifton Lindee and Edon Schultz featured in a fourth-wicket stand of 89.
After that, Chan picked up four quick wickets, including Lindee’s for 55 and Shultz for 42, to see Police fall from 137 for 3 to 149 for 7 and, with Shameer picking up another two and Chan one, Police were soon bowled out for 160 in their first innings.
Shemroy McKenzie made 25 while Chan took 5 for 14 from 13.2 overs and Shameer 3 for 28 from 14 overs for RHT Bakewell, who lost an early wicket to Leon Andrews at 5 for 1 in their reply.
Nicholas Cameron, who represented Berbice at the Under-15 level, and Chan put on 50 for the second wicket and when Cameron fell for 34, Chan and Brandon Prashad (24) added another 73 for the third.
Chan also featured in a 72-run fourth-wicket partnership with Shameer, before Chan fell for 77, while Shameer went shortly after for 73 and with Jamine Anderson slamming 31 in the lower order the home team went on to score 280 all out.
Bowling for Police, Andrews took 4 for 29 and off-spinner Kwesi Mickle 4 for 96.
Faced with a first-innings deficit of 120 runs, Police did well enough to avoid an innings defeat before they were dismissed for 158 in their second innings, with Mickle top-scoring with 32 and Schultz 22.
Shameer took 7 for 47 to end with match figures of 10 for 75, while Berbice Under-15 spinner Daniel Lewis took 2 for 23 for RHT Bakewell who will meet Albion Community Centre who defeated No.70 Young Star in the other semi-final, in the final, which is tentatively scheduled for this Friday and Saturday, weather permitting.