Benn guides Police to Balram Raghubir joint service cricket title

Mar 27, 2013 Sports

By Zaheer Mohamed
A fine allround performance by Troy Benn guided Guyana Police Force to a 4 wicket victory over Guyana Fire Service when the final of the Balram Raghubir (former commissioner) joint service 40 over cricket competition was contested yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground Eve Leary.

The victorious team pose with their prizes. Police Sports officer Colin Boyce is left.

Fire service batted first and found them selves in early trouble when Benn removed opener Quincy James (01) at with the total on 3. Police bowlers continued to maintain a steady line and length which paid dividends when Fire Service lost two more wickets to leave the score at 38-3. Undaunted with wickets falling around him Stephan Adams took the fight to the opposition, stroking six fours in a top score of 31 before he was dismissed. Devon Harte 28 (1×4) and Suresh Persaud26 (1×4, 1×6) then frustrated Police, putting together a fifth wicket partnership of 59 with sensible batting in front of a fair size crowd, but when they departed in quick succession the lower order found scoring difficult with only Andrew Williams 17 and Royston Simon 11 reaching double figures; Fire Service were eventually bowled out for 157 in the final over. Benn was the pick of the bowlers with 3-14, while Lyndon Wilson had 3-26, Sheldon Agard 2-24 and Kelvin Leitch 2-36.
Benn and Ameer Mohamed got Police off to a flier as they added 69 for the opening stand before Benn who slammed six fours and two sixes in 44 was caught off Stephan Adams. Mohamed and Eric Engel then put Police on course for a comfortable victory with a second wicket stand of 43 but when Simon got rid of Mohamed for 27 which contained five fours, the game took a dramatic turn around as Police lost 4 quick wickets in the space of 3 runs.
However Engel and Stephan Blacks made sure Police reached home with further hiccups with an unbroken 7th wicket stand of 39. Engel ended on 32 not out which included five fours while Blacks finished unbeaten on 24(1×4, 3×6). Simon grabbed 3-18 and Adams 2-20 for Fire Service who fielding would have let them down on a number of occasions.
Both teams were given trophies while Benn collected the awards for the most outstanding bowler, batsman and man of the match.