NATIONAL cricketers, Chandrapaul Hemraj and Gudakesh Motie, were instrumental in helping New York Diamonds to the Columbus Day T20 title after a comfortable seven-wicket win against Friends United on Saturday afternoon at Marine Park in Brooklyn.

Hemraj, who was among the runs for the Guyana Amazon Warriors in this year’s Caribbean Premier League, was able to make headways with both bat and ball, while left arm spinner, Motie, finished with the most wickets for the side.

Friends United were pegged back early in their innings, after losing their top order cheaply. Steven Taylor (8), Sajib Zaman (0) and Ali Samad (4) all scored under a run a ball.

The middle- order, however, picked up the pace, but Motie was soon able to stem the flow by grabbing back-to-back wickets.

The innings was then revived by the lower-middle order. Ahmed Labib blasted his way to a quickfire unbeaten 39 (3X4s, 1X6) while Andre McCarthy supported with 32 and Derone Davis 23 which pushed the side to 134-7.

Motie was the pick of the bowlers with 2-27 from his four overs, while Hemraj finished with 1-18 from his four overs.

Francis Mendonca, the grandson of former West Indies Test Cricketer, Ivor Mendonca, was also instrumental behind the wicket.  He finished with two dismissals.

In reply, Hemraj and fellow opener, Kennar Lewis, batted their team to a solid position. Lewis struck a match-high 44, which included four sixes and three fours in 27 balls, while Hemraj added 32 (three sixes and a four off 20 balls).

Despite the fall of a few quick wickets, number five batsman, Shawn Findlay, was able push his team to victory. His 33 (4X4s, 2X6s) came off of 18 balls.