D’EDWARD Cricket Club of West Bank Berbice are the champions of the 2014 Berbice Cricket Board/New Building Society-sponsored second division 40 overs competition, after holding their nerves to win an exciting final against Corriverton by three wickets last Sunday at the Number 69 ground. In a match which was reduced to 28 overs-a-side due to rain which resulted in a late start, Corriverton who were first-time finalists lost the toss and were inserted by their opponents.
They enjoyed a good start of 39 runs from Errol Byass and Jeremy Moore, but the introduction of medium pacer Heeralall Bridgelall saw Corriverton lose two quick wickets including that of Byass for 11.
Another medium pacer Navin Rampersaud got into the act and took two quick wickets as well, including Moore for 24, to see them slip from 39 without loss to 53 for 4.
Skipper Jermain Reid stopped the slide with an intelligent innings of 41, adding 35 for the fifth wicket with Victor Pedro (3) and 24 for the sixth with Gary Phillips (6) to take the score to 113 in the 19th over.
They, however, collapsed as off-spinner Devendra Lalsa picked up three wickets and former Berbice Under-19 leg-spinning all-rounder Kevon Jawahir two wickets, to reduce Corriverton from a relatively comfortable position of 113 for 5 to 123 all out in 22.5 overs.
Lalsa took 4 for 27, Jawahir 2 for 18, Rampersaud 2 for 30 and Bridgelall 2 for 31 for D’ Edward, who in their reply lost early wickets and were reeling at 12 for 3 in the 5th over, before Heeralall came to the crease and quietly started to pull his team out from the jaws of danger.
He added 56 for the fourth wicket with Jawahir (12) in 9 overs and 43 for the fifth with Lakeraj Sookraj, before he was dismissed for 33, at 111 for 5, following which his side lost two quick wickets to be 121 for 7, including Sookraj for 33.
Despite the late scare, D’Edward reached 124 for 7 off 25.4 overs, with Reid picking up 2 for 18 and Faoud Bacchus 2 for 19 for Corriverton, who watched the victors collect $60 000 while they (Corriverton) received $30 000.
Devendra Lalsa was the man-of-the-match and for his efforts he collected a trophy and $5 000. Reid was named Best Batsman while there were several other cash incentives for overall performances leading up to the final.
