4R Lions to face off with GCC in final

By Sean Devers
ON a day slightly affected by morning showers, 4R Lions and GCC advanced to the final of the GCA’s Ramchand Auto Spares, Survival Group of Companies 50-over U-19 cricket tournament when both teams registered victories in the semi-finals yesterday.

The final is set for Saturday, May 27.

At the GDF ground, 4R Lions maul Bel Air Rubis by eight wickets.
Bel Air Rubis on the back of an explosive 41 off 27 balls with a four and five sixes from Hemraj Hariprashad, recovered from 67-7 to 103 all out in 21.4 overs.

Sasenarine Harricharran and Lawrence Pellew had given their team a solid 43-run opening in 6.1 overs before they lost seven wickets for 22 runs before Hariprashad’s cameo and 19 extras ensured Bel Air Rubis reached a three-figure total.

Salim Khan captured 5-13 and got support from Sanjay Algoo (2-17), Matthew Pottaya (2-26) and West Indies U-19 pacer, Berbician Isaiah Thorne (1-15) to demolish the batting line-up as only Pellew, who hit three boundaries in 18 and Harricharran, who deposited a six in his 12, reached double figures.

In reply, Berbican Rampertab Ramnauth stroked eight fours and two sixes in his 31-ball 54 and along with Romeo Deonarain, whose 19 included two fours, added 77 before Deonarain, the silent partner in the shot-filled stand, was bowled by Nicholas Chan in the eight over.

Hemraj Gundyal, who hit a six and a four in 17 from 13 balls and Sachin Balgobin, who clobbered a six in a run-a-ball 10, were there at the end after joining forces when Chan (2-25) removed the left-handed Ramnauth at 88-2.

At Bourda, in a game reduced to 45 overs per side due to almost an hour’s delay after rain stopped play after two balls were bowled, GCC beat Transport Sports Club by 83 runs.

GCC were dismissed for 158 off 43.2 of their allotted 45 overs as West Indies Youth batter Mavendra Dindyal was very lucky not to be given run out on seven by his GCC team mate, Khemraj Persaud (there was only one official umpire present) after Dave Mohabir fired in a direct hit with him short of his ground.

The Stylish right-hander, who struggled to score freely after stroking his first ball for a majestic cover-driven boundary off Nehemiah Hohenkirk, top scored with 32 from 49 balls with three fours before he was caught behind by keeper, Shiloh Adams, off a perfect arm-ball from off-spinner Myhiem Khan.

Dindyal and Marlon Ramsurace came together at 14-1 but were kept in shackles by the spinners and Ramsurace in particular, struggled to get the ball off the square.

Dindyal and Zachary Jodah (0) fell to Khan in the space of three balls to leave GCC on 63-3 in the 20th over before Ramsurace, who faced 69 balls in his 25, was run out at 74-4 in the 25th over in which only three boundaries were scored against a suffocating spin attack of the Mahabir siblings — Alvin and Dave — and Khan.

Thaddeus Lovell hit two fours and a six in 31 from 45 balls and Josh Charles reached the boundary twice in a 31-ball 25 and along with Dhanesh Persaud’s unbeaten 12 aided in GCC recovering from 113-8 to eventually reaching 158-all out.

Khan was the pick of the bowlers with 3-27 while Hohenkirk and Alvin Mohabir had two wickets each for TSC who were skittled out for 75 in 26 overs with only Khan (12) and extras (21) reaching double figures.

Dindyal, 4-20 and Lovell 3-21, were the main wicket-takers for GCC.