THE 2019 Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) first division season finally got underway after a long four-month rainy season with the Board hosting the opening round of the 50-Overs first division tournament.
Eleven teams participated in the tournament which is being sponsored by Ansa McAl under its STAG Beer brand.
The Port Mourant and Albion Community Centre match was postponed at the request of the former team while Tucber Park drew the bye. Rose Hall Town Thunderbolt Flour (RHTTF), Upper Corentyne, Blairmont Community Centre and Young Warriors recorded victories to start the season on a high.
Zone B: RHTTF defeated Rose Hall Canje by 47 runs at the Canje ground with a fair-size crowd in attendance.
Batting first after winning the toss, RHTTF made 233 all out in 47 overs with Sylus Tyndall 36, Kevin Sinclair 33, Junior Sinclair 30, Jason Sinclair 25 and captain Eon Hooper 25 being the principal scorers. West Indies Under-15 pacer Isaiah Thorne bowled well to claim his maiden five-wicket haul, 5 for 44, while R. Vankenic took 2 for 35.
Rose Hall Canje, in reply, were bowled out for 186 in 44.2 overs with L. Davis 34, J. Henry 21, B. Ramsarran 24 and Ameer Rahaman all batting well. Former senior national Eon Hooper 3 for 33 and national Under-19 Junior Sinclair 3 for 35 bowled well for RHTTF.
West Berbice lost to Blairmont Community Centre by 4 wickets at the Bush Lot ground.
West Berbice 156 all out in 36.5 overs with Carlton Nurse 32. Adrian Dutchin 25 being the leading scorers. . National Youth player Nigel Deodat 5 for 30 and off-spinner Shabeer Baksh 2 for 28 were the best bowlers for Blairmont.
Needing to score at just above three runs per over to register an opening victory, Blairmont Community Centre cruised to 160 for 6 from 33.3 overs. Former national Youth player Javed Karim batted well to top-score with 51 and received support from Marvin Prashad 30 and Seon Glasgow 15 not out.
Young Warriors Cricket Club arrested Police Sports Club by 140 runs at the Cumberland ground. Young Warriors CC 230 all out in 34.5 overs. Linden Austin 55, Trevlon Stanislaus 33, Kassim Khan 31, Suresh Dhanai 21.
Police Sports Club 90 all out in 17.3 overs. Grisean Grant 30; Devindra Ramoutar 5 for 46 (7 overs), Trevlon Stanislaus 2 for 13.
Upper Corentyne easily defeated Skeldon by 115 runs at the No. 69 Vikings ground.
Upper Corentyne were 252 for 8 from 40 overs after pitch preparation moisture affected the start of play – R. Chatterpaul 57, Devindra Budhoo 20, V. Gooniah 21 and S. Embrack 73. Bowling for Skeldon, Wayne Garnett, Sherain Murray and Zukeel Gordon claimed two wickets apiece.
Skeldon were bowled out for 137 in 30 overs as Murray returned with the bat to score 37 while Devindra Budhoo 3 for 18, R. Chatterpaul 2 for 15 and L. Roopchand 2 for 15 bowled well for Upper Corentyne.
BCB president Hilbert Foster visited three of the venues and expressed disappointment that several of the teams were attired in different uniforms. Foster stated that first division cricket was the highest level of competition in Berbice and as such, a high level of standard must be maintained at all times. He urgeed all Clubs to get their house in order or face disciplinary actions from the BCB.
