Lower Corentyne are NCN / BCB Inter Zone U-15 champs

Jun 23, 2010 Sports

Crush West Berbice by 62 runs

Lower Corentyne led by fine all round efforts from Arif Chan and Shanaz Ramcharran crushed West Berbice by 62 runs to left the National Communication Network Under-15 Inter-Zone title when the final was contested on Sunday last at the Edinburgh Cricket Ground.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Lower Corentyne’s Nazrudeen Bux and Nicholas Cameron put on 26 for the first wicket before Bux was caught off pacer Dillon Joseph for 13; it soon became 28-2 when Joseph dismissed national Under-15 Parmanand Narine for 1.

The 2010 NCN Inter Zone Under 15 champs pose after winning the tournament.

Lower Corentyne slipped to 58-5 by the 13th over as medium pacer Grisean Grant sent back Cameron for 13, as well as national players Shailendra Shameer 5 and Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai 0.

Pint sized Arif Chan and the solid looking Sharaz Ramcharran then added a crucial 88 to pull their team out of trouble before the latter was bowled by Grant for 33 in the 41st over.

Chan was eventually dismissed for an attractive 46 spiced up with 4 boundaries while Berbice Under-15 player Devin Baldeo was left unbeaten on 20 as Lower Corentyne were dismissed for 180 in 48 of their allotted 50 overs.

Bowling for West Berbice Grant took 4-41, Dillon Joseph 3-36 while Kevin Jawahir, Parmanand Ramdhan and Derick Narine all took one wicket apiece.

In response, Lower Corentyne medium pacers Ryan Mootoo and Manoj Looknauth soon had West Berbice on the ropes at 15-3 in the 5th over.

Skipper Quacy Mc Pherson lost his leg stump to Mootoo for 8; Looknauth taking out Rennison Mitchell and Thomas Mc Donald.

With the introduction of spin, West Berbice slipped to 38-5 as leg spinner Avinash Wajid and off spinner Shameer struck early. Wajid had Derick Narine LBW for 8 while Shameer took a brilliant return catch to get rid of Nick Ramsaroop for nought.

Kevin Jawahir stroked a patient 30 and Marlon De Putron 13; Parmanand Ramdhan (12) batted well but it was not enough as West Berbice were restricted to 118 all out in 31 overs.

Bowling for Lower Corentyne Sharaz Ramcharran claimed 3-21 from 5.1 overs, Looknauth 2-11 and Wajid 2-25.

Arif Chan was named man-of-the-finals for scoring 47. The Berbice Cricket Board, organiser of the competition has a policy that no cash prizes will be handed out to Under-13 and 15 players so members of the teams in the finals were each presented with a scientific calculator valued at $3,000 each to assist them in with their school work.

CEO of NCN, Mr. Mohamed Sattaur met the team before the start of the game and encouraged them to always be disciplined and focused.

He praised the progress of cricket in the Ancient County and announced to great applause that NCN would continue their sponsorship in 2011 as the company was satisfied with its investment.

Treasurer of the Board, Anil Beharry and Secretary Angela Haniff at the presentation ceremony both hailed the Inter-Zone tournament as a huge success and expressed the Board’s gratitude to NCN for the sponsorship.

Special mention was made of Mr. Sattaur and Regional Coordinator for NCN Mr. Faizal Jaffarally for their input in making the tournament a success. Beharry stated that the tournament played a great part in assisting Berbice to select the best possible Inter County team that retained the Under-15 title.

Mr. Jaffarally in handing over the winning trophy to Lower Corentyne captain Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai hailed the outstanding work of the Berbice Cricket Board and challenged other sports organisations to emulate the work they are doing.