WEST BERBICE advanced to the final of this year’s Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)-organised National Communication Network (NCN) sponsored Under-15 Inter-zone tournament, after defeating New Amsterdam/Canje by 12 runs at the Cumberland ground. Batting first, West Berbice made 89-4 off their allotted 38 overs with Javed Karen topscoring with 39 (5×4), while Seon Glasgow was unbeaten on 36 against the bowling of Junior Williams who claimed 2 for 6 from five overs, for New Amsterdam/Canje.
In response, New Amsterdam/Canje on the back of an unbeaten 44 from Kevon Sinclair, reached 97-8 off their allotted 38, with Williams returning to contribute 14 with the bat, even as Sachin Veerasammy and Nicholas Sheurohan took 3 wickets each for 10 and 12 runs respectively.
With a first-innings deficit of eight runs, West Berbice batting a second time reached 141 all out from 52.1 overs with skipper Kris Ramnarine topscoring with a patient 55. Javed Karim supported with 31, while Veerasammy chipped in with 13.
Sinclair bowled superbly to claim 6-32 for New Amsterdam/Canje, who were asked to score 133 for an outright victory, but fell short of their target by 12, surrendering their first-innings advantage to be bowled out for 121.
Sinclair completed a fine all-round match, by topscoring with 41 (4×4), while Alex Algoo supported with 20 and Brandon Stewart 16, as Seon Glasgow 4 for 17, Ramnarine 2 for 14 and Nicholas 2-16 bowled West Berbice to a come-from-behind victory.
West Berbice will now face the winner of the Lower Corentyne versus Upper Corentyne semi-final in the final of the tournament which is being used by the BCB to select the Ancient County’s Under-15 team for the Guyana Cricket Boar-organised, Limacol-sponsored Under-15 Inter-County tournament.