COP Inter-Division t20 cricket...TSU maul ‘B’ division in one-sided Final

COP Inter-Division t20 cricket…TSU maul ‘B’ division in one-sided Final

Apr 21, 2014 Sports

By Sean Devers

We are the Champions! TSU with sponsor ‘Anand’ Coober Persaud and Commissioner of Police (Acting) Seelall Persaud (right) celebrate their title yesterday.

The Commissioner of Police (COP) Inter Division t20 Cricket Competition sponsored by C. Persaud Dental Clinic and Laboratory climaxed yesterday at Eve Leary with Tactical Services Unit mauling ‘B’ division in a one-sided Final to claim the $200,000 first prize after ‘B’ division had beaten ‘F’ division in the semi-final.
The sun was out in all of its glory and the large and raucous crowd was entertained beyond the boundary by pulsating music and produced a fantastic atmosphere as they screamed their support for their teams.
Commentary on the Public Address system by Sergeant Mark Dial with comments from Constable Linden Wilson and 100 and 800 meters races between the semis and Final added to the excitement in the event which was used to celebrate the birth anniversary of the top Cop Seelall Persaud.
In the Final, in which the Commissioner (Acting) bowled the first ball with a perfect off-break action, B Division were asked to bat on a slow track and were shot out for 70 in 15.5 overs as Man-of-the Match, left-arm pacer Rondell Wills orchestrated ‘Operation Demolition’ with 4-16 from four overs. He got excellent back-up from Quinton Sugrim (2-16) and Rawle Haynes (2-24).
TSU planned their ambush with clinical precision and reached 74-1 in 8.4 overs with veteran Bertie Carmichael, who stroked three fours and a six in his unbeaten 30, getting cover from Stephon Blacks who played the supporting role in their 56-run opening stand with five.
When Blacks, the leading run scorer in the 12-team tournament with 117 runs, was dismissed by Michael Newland with victory 14 runs away, Haynes only needed three balls to formalize the emphatic win; hitting two sixes and a four off consecutive balls.
Earlier, Haynes removed Brentnol Woolford (9) and Imaniet Davidson (5) to leave the Berbice team on 21-2. They lost three more wickets in the space of three runs to be wobbling on the ropes at 30-5 and when Zamain Archibald’s middle stump was plucked out by Wills before he had scored, it was 41-7.
Opener Kord Griffith (16) and Newland (5) were both removed by Wills while Ancel Doris (15) was the last man to fall.
In the semi-final, ‘B’ Division, who had to play back-to-back games after TSU drew the bye to the Final, reached 108- 8 in a game reduced to 15 overs due the late arrival of the Berbice side and then bowled out ‘F’ division for 82 in 12.1 overs after they were well ahead of the required rate at 43-3.
Marvin Ford was LBW to Newland for a duck and Doris got rid of Keith Jobe (0) to a breathtaking catch by Jamal Jerrick, running back from mid-wicket, and with the ball going away from him, he dived full length to pouch a stunner and leave ‘F’ division on 3-2.
Devon Joseph got to 12 before he gifted his wicket to off-spinner Doris who also accounted for Skipper Trevor Benn at 47-4 to trigger a dramatic collapse. Benn began with all guns blazing and clobbered four sixes and a four in his 12-ball 30 but lost his head, his wicket and arguable the match, with a totally irresponsible shot and was taken on the boundary. ‘F’ Division never recovered as Doris (5-14) ripped through the batting for the only five wicket haul of the tournament.
‘B’ Division, led by 22 from Jerrick, 17 from Davidson and 12 from Woolford managed to post what turned out to be a winning total to waste the good bowling of Kevis Mendonca (4-14) Kelsey Roberts (2-22) and Benn (2-16).
At the Presentation, Assistant Commissioner Balram Persaud said the competition was organized in only three weeks and was high in praise for Deputy Superintendent and tournament Organizer Colin Boyce.
He also commented ‘Anand’ Coober Persaud for his over $700,000 sponsorship and assured the large gathering that the competition would be an annual one.
The winning team took home $200,000, runner-up $150,000 and the third placed team $100,000 while the Man-of-the-Final (Wills), batsman with the most runs (Blacks), bowler with the most wickets (Doris), most Entertaining player in the Final (Haynes) and most sixes (Benn and Ronald Alli with 6 each) all received $20,000 for their effort.
Had there been an award for best fielding team, ‘F’ division would have won it, while if there was a prize for best catch it would have been won by Jerrick. The tournament, which attracted far more spectators than any recent first division contest, was deemed a resounding success by the Organizers.