– RHT Pepsi and Albion win semifinal matches

THE longstanding battle between arch-rivals Albion Community Centre Cricket Club and the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club will continue after both clubs reached the final of the Berbice Cricket Board/Diors Bits and Pieces U-23 tournament.

Rose Hall Town Pepsi defeated the home team Blairmont Ground by 71 runs while Albion defeated Tucber Park by three wickets at Port Mourant Ground.

At Blairmont, RHT Pepsi skipper Junior Sinclair won the toss and elected to bat first.

Sinclair was the first Pepsi batsman to be dismissed when he was run out for a breezy 30 with five fours and a maximum at 37 for 1 in the fifth over.

His opening partner Romesh Bharrat was run out for 11 and then former national under 15 player Ramzan Koobeer was stumped for 15 at 70 for 3.

National U-19 player Jonathan Rampersaud and Guyana under 17 vice-captain Matthew Pottaya then added 152 for the fourth wicket as RHT Pepsi took control of the match.

Rampersaud struck 11 elegant fours and five sixes in his brilliant knock before he was caught at long on for 125 off the bowling of N. Persaud.

Pottaya, who has grown into a solid middle order batsman scored 46 with three sixes and four boundaries before he was run out at the non-striker’s end.

Lucas Arthur (18*) and national under player Jermey Sadia then took their team to 289 for five at the end of the allotted 40 overs. N. Persaud was the best bowler for the home team with two wickets for 56 runs off eight overs.

Needing to score 290 off 40 overs to reach the finals, Blairmont were dismissed for 218 from 31.4 overs.

National U-19 player Seon Glasgow blasted five massive sixes and 12 fours in a brutal 111.

Glasgow received support from S. Bissoondyal with 24.

Bowling for Rose Hall Town Pepsi, Jermey Sandia took four for 23 while Raj Tika two for 30 and Junior Sinclair two for 31.

At Port Mourant, Tucber Park batting first after winning the toss were restricted to 134 all out off 32.4 overs.

Former national player G. Ceaser 21, Garfield Benjamin 19, Zaymul Ramsammy, 17, and Leon Swammy, 12, were the principal scorers in a disappointing batting display by the New Amsterdam based club.

Off Spinner Leon Cecil’s four for 34 from (7 overs) and former national U-19 left arm spinner Kelvin Umroa’s three for 25 (8 overs) were the main wicket takers for Albion.
Naeem Khan, Gourav Ramesh and Kumar Deopersaud took a wicket a piece.

Albion overcame a main collapse to win by three wickets.

They were 72 for one in the 11th over with Ari Afizal Kadir 47 and Damion Cecil 25 batting well.

It took a level headed 19 no by Devin Lalbehari to get them over the line and into the finals.

Off spinner Ruben Latcha took four for 18 from eight overs and Zymul Ramsammy two for 26 were the best bowlers for the losing Tucber Park CC.

The date and venue for the finals will be announced shortly.