FORMER national U-19 cricketer, Chris Patandin, blasted a half-century to lead Majestic Cricket Club to the New York National Cricket League (NYNCL) Cricket Zone T20 Cup against fellow pro-Guyanese side, Phoenix Cricket Club.

Majestic won the toss against the strong Phoenix side, which included several seasoned Guyanese cricketers, and opted to take first strike at Baisley Pond.

Former Berbice Inter-county cricketer, Derick Narine, who captained Majestic, began to construct the innings with Patandin, but he was routed for 11 by national cricketer, Chandrapaul Hemraj, at the start of the third over.

Wasim Haslim, a former Demerara cricketer then played a few shots for his 23 (2X4s, 2X6s from 12 balls), but the bulk of the batting was on the shoulders of Patandin.

The opener, who struck five fours and three sixes from his 55-ball 70 runs, also ran well between the wickets. Number four batsman, Nadesh Basdeo (21 from 15 balls) was the only other batsman to reach double figures, but he became the first victim of Hardeep Singh.

Singh walked through the middle order to finish with 4-27 from four overs, while Mark Tyrell supported with 2-30, while Hemraj and Jonathan Foo took one wicket each.

Needing 154 for victory, Phoenix lost Hemraj for 1, bowled by Haslim in the first over.
Foo and former US U19 cricketer Randall Wilson added 53 for the second wicket, but Majestic wrested control soon after.
Foo struck four fours and two sixes from 28 balls in his 39, while Wilson hit a solitary four off of 38 balls in his 31.

Patandin, who bowled Foo, also took the wicket of skipper Yutesh Dhanpaul (0), but it was Karamchand Ramnarine, who did the bulk of the damage. He got the wickets of Wilson, Akshaya Persaud (12), Hardeep Singh (4) and Pooran Harrichan (2), which left Phoenix CC reeling.

Although Francis Mendonca scored 23 from 13 balls (2X6s) and Mark Tyrell added 12 not out, Phoenix were restricted to 132-8 when their overs ended — 22 runs short of victory.