THE Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) very active cricket season continued on Saturday last with the start of the BCB Premier Round Robin T20 Tournament with matches across the ancient county. The tournament is the second first division tournament to start recently following the Ivan Madray T20 Memorial League.

The BCB has also acquired sponsorship for the hosting of two fifty overs tournaments which will be played on a round robin basis. They will be sponsored by Ansa Mcal Trading and AJM Enterprise respectively.

On Saturday last, Rose Hall Town, Port Mourant, Young Warriors and Blairmont registered victories in the first round while the Albion versus Rose Hall Canje match was washed out due to rain. The Police Sports Club and the Tucber Park match was unable to be played due to the lack of a suitable venue. The highlight of the opening round was a majestic 110 not out by CPL Best Emerging Player Junior Sinclair, who struck eight huge sixes and nine boundaries against Skeldon at the Area ‘H’ Ground.
Half centuries also came from Alex Algoo 80, Seon Hetmyer 74, Clinton Pestano 60. Pestano also performed well with the ball with a four-wicket haul while Berbice senior player Seon Glasgow also took a four-wicket haul.

Scores in the matches played were:

1) Rose Hall Town Namilco defeated Skeldon by a Masive 157 runs at the Area ‘H’ Ground. The home team amassed 218 for the loss of one wicket with Sinclair 110 not out, Pestano 60 not out with four boundaries and five sixes along with Jason Sinclair 30 (retired hurt) being the principal scores.

2) Matthew Pottaya 11 was the only batsman to be dismissed as Arvin Ault took 1 for 51 from three expensive overs. Skeldon in reply were bowled out for 61 in 16.4 overs with only Triston Ramsarran 13 and A. Ault 12 reaching double figures. Pestano and Junior Sinclair returned with the ball to take 4 for 8 and 3 for 11 respectively. National under-19 left arm spinner Jeremy Sandia took 2 for 8.

3) Port Mourant eased past Upper Corentyne by 8 wickets at the No. 69 Ground. Upper Corentyne won the toss and elected to bat. They were bowled out for 125 in their allotted 20 overs with Paul Tyndall 33 and Alvin Hemchand 28 being the main scorers. Vinod Samaroo 3 for 8 (4overs) and Madan Budhram 2 for 36 were the visitors’ best bowlers.

4) Port Mourant in reply, raced to 127 for 2 in the 18th overs as West Indies youth player Rampertab Ramnauth 38 not out batted well. Ronald Pottaya 1 for 23 and Devenand Chatterpaul 1 for 23 were the successful bowlers for the home team.

5) At the Blairmont Community Centre, the home team squeezed past West Berbice by one run in an exciting finish. The visitors needed five runs to tie blairmont score of 115 for 8 but only managed to score a boundary. The top scores for Blairmont were Kevin Jawahier 29, Javed Karein 16, Seon Glasgow 17 and Nick Ramsaroop 20. Rashaad Gaffur 3 for 12 and Odel Miller 2 for 20 were the best bowlers for West Berbice. The visitors push to overtake Blairmont small total was led by Shelton Ramsay 26, Rashaad Gaffur 13 and Andrew Dutchin 15. Off spinner Seon Glasgow 4 for 24 and leg spinner Kevin Jawahie 3 for 8 were the best bowlers for blairmont.

6) At the Rose Hall Community Centre, Young Warriors Cricket Club defeated a youthful President XI team by 117 runs. The President XI team is consisted of junior players who were unable to make the different club first division teams. The main aim is to expose them to a high level of cricket at a young age to assist in their overall development.

7) Batting first, YWCC, after losing the toss, amassed 202 for 8 from 20 overs as former national youth layer Alex Algoo scored 80 and Berbice Senior Player Seon Hetmyer 74. Left-arm spinner Kumar Deoperaud took 2 for 30 from 4 overs. The President XI team in reply, were restricted to 85 for 8 with Julian Bennett top scoring with an unbeaten 50. Algoo returned with the ball to take 2 wickets for 8 runs while Ricardo Ramdehol claimed 2 for 23.

8) Coach of the President XI team, Balram Samaroo, stated that all the members of the team were making their first division debut and were excited at the new innovation of the BCB to aid in their development. The tournament continues next Saturday with second round matches.