NCN U-15 Tourney ...Lower Corentyne edge West Berbice to retain title

NCN U-15 Tourney …Lower Corentyne edge West Berbice to retain title

May 23, 2014 Sports

West Berbice, after taking first innings honors, defending champions Lower Corentyne stormed back to edge the former in a thriller, winning the game outright, thus retaining the National Communications Network (NCN) Under-15 Inter Zone cricket tournament.
After early morning rain had delayed the start of play by over two hours, West Berbice were sent in to bat in the two-day game which was played according to the Inter County and International Under-15 rules.

Mr. Jafarally of NCN poses with the players of the West Berbice and Lower Corentyne teams following the presentation.

They managed to reach 111 all out in their allotted 38 overs. Their savior was opening batsman Javed Karim who held the innings together, first with an opening stand of 41 with Chandradat Veerasammy (8); Karim went on to make 59.
Bowling for Lower Corentyne, off-spinner Karran Arjpaul took 5-17, off-spinner Ezekiel Kempadoo 3-23 and left arm spinner Kelvin Umroa 2-4.
When Lower Corentyne replied they were limited to 98-9 off their allotted 38 overs; Kelvon Anderson led with 38. Bowling for West Berbice, left arm spinner Kris Ramnarine collected 4-28 and off-spinner Seon Glasgow Jr. 4-24.
With 49 overs being the allotment for each team in the second innings, West Berbice with a lead of 13 runs batted and were bowled out for 107 in 39 overs; Kris Ramanrine top scored with 33 while Javed Karim and Chandradat Veerasammy made 25 each. Doing the damage with the ball for Lower Corentyne was Umroa with 6-s20; Keith Simpson had 2-26.
Set 121 to win in a minimum of 49 overs, Lower Corentyne were at one time well placed at 53-1 but soon slipped to 72-5 before Brandon Corlette (19) and Keith Simpson (25) added a decisive 39 runs for the sixth wicket that was largely responsible for romping to a three wicket win. Umroa was adjudged man-of-the-match for his eight wicket match haul. Lower Corentyne was presented with the NCN trophy and $10,000 while West Berbice received the second place trophy and $6,000 from the Berbice NCN Coordinator, Mr. Faizal Jaffarally M.P.
During the presentation ceremony, Mr. Jaffarally said that NCN was pleased to be associated with this important competition that showcases the best up and coming talent in Berbice. He said that the investment has been worthwhile over the years with many of the top performers going on to represent Guyana.
Jaffarally further expressed satisfaction with the way the Berbice Cricket Board has been administering the sport in Berbice pointing out that they have also been doing a tremendous job.
The passing of the Cricket Bill recently in parliament, Jafferally stated, would see a new dispensation to cricket in Guyana where all of the bad practices that had Guyana’s cricket in turmoil being eradicated. He said that all of the cricket boards would in the future be held accountable.
He however, expressed disappointment that even though the bill was one that should have cut across all political boundaries because the game was practically Guyana’s national sport the Alliance for Change decided not to support it at a time when Guyanese interest should have come first. He praised the Berbice Cricket Board for their stance in this regard.