The No.69 Vikings Cricket Ground was transformed into a hive of activity on Sunday last when the Berbice Cricket Board and the Upper Corentyne Cricket Association hosted the finals of the ‘Price is Right’ 20/20 tournament.
The largest crowd to attend a BCB final in over a decade turned up at the venue to see No. 72 Cut and Load defeat Dukestown Warriors by four wickets to emerge champions of the tournament.
The tournament which started two years ago attracted a sponsorship of over three million dollars from the Management and staff of Price is Right Supermarket of Skeldon.
Dukestown won the toss and elected to take first strike and quickly lost Clarence Besford at 8 for 1 when he was caught off the bowling of Davendra Jaggernauth for 4.
Jaggernauth also dismissed Kevin Clarke (1) and Budhram Sukhdeo (4) to leave Dukestown struggling at 14 for 3 in the 5th over.
They struggled to 47 for 6 with the departure of Jermaine Reid (5), Clanern Besford (7) and Jamal Byass (6) but a crucial 7th wicket stand of 36 between Errol Byass (17) and Akeem Bawlin (27) enabled them to reach 92 all out from 18 overs.
Bowling for No. 72 cut and load were Jaggernauth 4-1-10-3, Mukesh Edwards 4-0-23-4 and Davannand Chatterpal 4-0-16-2.
Needing to score 93 from 20 overs, Cut and Load lost their best batsman Deoprakash Ramdat LBW to Jermaine Reid for naught at 2 for 1 in the first over. A forty-four runs second-wicket partnership between Jameel Assad and Ramesh Omapersaud took them to 46 for 2 when Kevin Clarke dismissed Assad for a patient 12.
Solid batting from Omarpersaud (35) and Vijay Persaud (17*) saw Cut and Load to victory.
The other dismissed batsmen were Seiraj Chatterpaul (7), Devananand Chatterpaul (2) and Kadeer Ajib (7).
The best bowler for the runners-up was Esrol Byass with 2 for 17 from four overs.
Jermaine Rid, Budram Sukdeo and Wayne Garnette each took a wicket apiece for 12, 13 and 15 respectively.
Live cricket commentary was also provided by popular cricket commentators, Anthony Kemraj and Linden Murray.
The winning team took home four hundred thousand dollars and the winner’s trophy while the runners-up took home two hundred thousand dollars and a trophy.
The two losing semi-finalists got fifty thousand dollars while man of the finals Davendra Juggernauth was rewarded with one hundred thousand dollars.
Other prizes shared out included cricket gear.
BCB President Hilbert Foster congratulated the UCCA for organizing a high successful tournament and expressed his pleasure at the massive support by fans. He committed his administration to hosting more finals at the venue once the dressing rooms and sanitary facilities are improved.
Well known Guyanese Neurosurgeon and brain surgeon Dr. Amarnauth Dukhi, on hearing Foster’s commitment, immediately promised to donate half a million dollars to the setting up of proper sanitary facilities.
UCCA President Dennis D’ Andrade expressed thanks to the sponsor for the largest ever cash prize purse in the area and noted that the sponsorship included uniforms for all thirty-two teams in the area.