THE stage is set for a blockbuster Super Saturday at the Lusignan Ground on October 3 as eight teams are locked in their spots for the quarter-finals of the Georgetown and East Coast Demerara zone in the Lotto/Let’sBet One Guyana T10 Tapeball Blast.
With three regional champions already waiting in the national phase, local heavyweights fought through a heated Round of 16 across the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and Lusignan Community Centre grounds to keep their campaign alive for a place in Sunday’s zonal finals at Enmore, all eyeing the ultimate $2 million national purse on offer at the Anna Regina National Stadium on October 11.
At DCC, rapid run chases dominated the day’s play. Titans Rams routed Phantom XI by nine wickets after bowling them out for a paltry 40 in 10 overs, thanks to clinical spells from Shacin Singh (2 for 2), Derwin Christian (2 for 5), and Clinton Pestano (2 for 8).
Pernell London made short work of the target, blasting an unbeaten 31 to seal victory in just 2.5 overs. Pure Entertainment produced a similarly ruthless display, flattening Intruders by nine wickets. Mark Cumberbatch’s 4 for 20 and Travis Johnson’s 3 for 11 skittled Intruders for 63 in 10 overs, before Raphel Frank unleashed a whirlwind 44 to carry Pure Entertainment home in 3.4 overs.
SVC/AJM CC also cruised into the last eight with a dominant nine-wicket win in 4.2 overs, overhauling their 101-run target on the back of a rapid unbeaten 51 from Jonte Thomas and a brisk 30 not out from Quentin Sampson.
Meanwhile, Diamond Gunners pulled off an explosive chase against FC ER Gladiators. Chasing Gladiators’ 96 for 8—built around Jaffar Ali’s 27 and Alvin Mohabir’s 25—Diamond Gunners charged to 102 for 2 in six overs behind firepower from Josiah Lim (36), Ricardo David (34), and Seon Allen (20*).
Over at the Lusignan Community Centre Ground, the action was headlined by an extraordinary, record chase from Avinash All-Stars. Stripling Warriors appeared to be in total control after posting 124 without loss, driven by undefeated half-centuries from Brandon Jaikaran (61*) and Navindra Persaud (51*).
However, Avinash All-Stars launched an astonishing counter-attack, surging to 128 for 1 in eight overs, courtesy of a blistering 62-run knock at the top, supported by Kadeem Alleyne (36) and Kevin Wickham (28*), to pull off a sensational nine-wicket win.
Team Corruption proved too strong for Team Upsetterz, overhauling a target of 106 in 8.2 overs to secure an eight-wicket win. Dejourn Charles anchored the chase with an unbeaten 59 alongside Treatlon Liverpool’s 32, after West Indies international Kevin Sinclair took 2 for 25 to restrict Upsetterz to 105 for 6.
Housing Warriors were the only side at Lusignan to successfully defend a total, posting 122 for 4 on the back of Sachin Singh’s unbeaten 55 and Hiradeo Jailall’s 39, before limiting Dream 11 All-Stars to 77 for 7 to complete a 45-run victory.
Better Hope claimed the final quarter-final berth by navigating a tricky lower-scoring chase against VP XI, knocking off the required 72 runs in eight overs with four wickets in hand, led by Azad Mohamed’s 30.
The quarter-final, scheduledf or Lusignan on Saturday, October 3 begins at 09:30hrs with Titans Rams taking on Pure Entertainment, before Diamond Gunners square off against SVC/AJM CC at 11:30hrs.
The afternoon double-header will see Team Corruption battle Better Hope at 13:30hrs, followed by Avinash All-Stars clashing with Housing Warriors at 15:30hrs for the right to advance to the zone finals at Enmore on October 4.