ON a hot Sunday at the Albion Community Centre ground, where the first-ever ODI in the West Indies was contested in 1977, the home team faced off with New Amsterdam-based
Tucber Park in the inaugural final of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Guyana Breweries 50-over U-19 tournament.
When the dust had settled it was Tucber Park who emerged victorious by 57 runs to lift the first championship Trophy.
There was no U-19 tournament last year and Port Mourant won the 2024 BCB U-19 tournament.
A fair-sized gathering watched as Albion won the toss and invited Tuber Park to bat on good pitch and fast outfield.
Openers, Antionio DePaul (18) Kelston Kistan (7) put together 20 before Jermey Gobin sent DePaul’s stumps for walk
The in-form Lemuel DeJonge (8) joined Kistan and took the score to 29 before DeJonge departed for eight.
Skipper Thiery Henry got going with five fours before clearing the boundary twice in a pugnacious 34 before he was caught and bowled by Gobin at 71-3.
National U-19 left-arm spinner Gilbert Griffith fell for 27 at 87-4 and when Micah Amsterdam (13) was dismissed at 97-5, Tucber Park suffered a collapse, losing their five wickets for just 18 runs
and were bowled out for 150 in 32.2 overs.
Fiaz Baksh, Rovin Lallbeharry and Jermey Gobin picked up two wickets each for Albion who were bundled out for 93.
Fast bowlers Jayhayden Rohlehr and National U-19 speedster Micah Amsterdam ran in and bowled with good pace despite challenging run-up.
Rohlehr (4-14) ripped the heart out the Albion top order while Amsterdam (1-24) as the pair had the Corentyne side reeling on 15-3 and they never recovered.
Baksh made 23 with a couple of boundaries while opener Suresh Jurralty hit fours as Albion were bowled out for 93 in 29 overs.
Griffith returned with the ball to capture 4-21, while Shamar Thomas took 1-6.
Such is the strength of Berbice cricket that a depleted BEI Secondary Schools team, made-up of Tucber Park and Canje Cricket Club players, beat Abram Zuil Secondary on Sunday to
book their place in the national schools T20 U-19 in Monday’s final at Queen’s College ground.
