A HALF-CENTURY from West Indies U-16 cricketer Mavindra Dindyal and solid all-round support spurred Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) to a six-wicket victory over Transport Sports Club, yesterday in the first semi-final of the GCA Noble House Seafoods U-19 Generation Next 50-over cricket competition.

In a clash reduced to 40 overs due to a late start at the Malteenoes Sports Club ground, GCC won the toss and opted to bowl first.
Opening bowlers Shadrach Bacon and Rivaldo Phillips had Transport in early problems, after they had sent back the openers (DeAndre Linton and Ryan Latif) for ducks three overs into the game, but Michael Jamal and Devon Allen rebuilt the innings.

The number three and four batsmen added 52 for the third wicket with Jamal hitting two sixes and a four in a score of 28 and Allen three fours in his 22.
Demerara’s U-15 captain Alvin Mohabir then batted his way to 46 runs. He struck four fours and a six in a well-constructed innings batting at six. He, however, became Aryan Persaud’s second victim. Support came from 11-year-old Riyad Latif, who finished with 23 (2x4s, 1×6) batting at eight.

Off-spinner Darrius Andrews led the attack with three wickets, while Thaddeus Lovell supported with two scalps towards the end, as Transport folded for 168 all out in 37.2 overs.
After a first-over four, Lovell settled into running the singles. In total, he ran 21 singles in his score of 25. He and Dindyal, who was the aggressor, added 75 runs for the third wicket, which was the catalyst for victory.

Dindyal’s top score of 50 included seven fours and a six.
Although 13-year-old Mohabir dismissed both batsmen with his off-spin bowling, the damage was already done. Persaud (26) and Rahul Singh (17) then added 44 unbeaten runs to lead their team to 169-4 in 33 overs.

Mohabir finished with 3-34 from eight overs for Transport.