Brilliant Pestano leads RHTY&SC to Port Mourant Cup 2015 Title and $400 000 prize

Aug 19, 2015 Sports

A brilliant and brutal innings of 121 off just 42 balls from former Guyana Under-19 and Berbice Senior Player Clinton Pestano led the Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets team to an easy victory over Ankerville in the finals of 2015 Port Mourant Softball Cup. Playing in front of a large crowd that filled the historic Port Mourant Cricket Ground on Sunday

The Winning Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets team posed with their Silver ware.

last to capacity, Pestano struck six massive sixes and nine boundaries as he and Berbice Senior Player Jason Sinclair added 151 for the 2nd wicket to propel Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets to an imposing 184 for 2 off their allotted 20-Overs. Pestano’s century was the first in the five years history of the Tournament.
Winning the toss and batting first, Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets lost opener Oliver Giddings for 08 at 23 for 1 in the 5th Over and Sinclair and Pestano struggled at first to get the ball away as the Ankerville bowlers bowled tightly. Pestano then cut loose as he struck a hapless Wahied Edwards for 27 runs in the 10th Over. After Pestano was dismissed in the 19th Over, Sinclair 45 not out and Eon Hooper 6 not out ensured Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets ended strongly. Bowling for Ankerville D. Singh and G. Dhanisar claimed one wicket each.
Needing to score 185 runs off 20 Overs to win their first ever Port Mourant Cup, Ankerville never looked like reaching the target and could only reach 131 all out from 17.4 Overs. Motie 27, David Latchaya 20 and Adrian Sukhwa 21 batted well but Port Mourant spearheaded by S. Garnett 2 for 17, H. Jaipaul 2 for 13 and Yogindra Harrinarine 3 for 25 were brilliant in the field.
At the semifinals stage on Saturday, Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets on the strength of a brilliant 61 not out from Clinton Pestano defeated Albion by 5 wickets, while Ankerville upset Port Mourant by 80 runs.
The Tournament started Friday with eight teams – Rose Hall Town, City Star, Ankerville, Tain, Belvedere, Port Mourant, Albion and Block 4. Rose Hall Town played unbeaten in their Zone to head Zone A, while Ankerville created a huge upset to the Rose Hall Town bowlers superbly and were backed up by brilliant fielding. Apart from Berbice Senior Cricketer and former national junior player Seon Hetmyer who struck a composed 56 with four boundaries and a six, none of the remaining batsmen reached double figures as Ankerville were dismissed for 111 of 19 Overs to lose by 73 runs. Bowling for Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets Sunil Madramootoo took 2 for 19, Eon Hooper 2 for 17 and skipper John Percival 3 for 32.
Earlier in the day, the Port Mourant Cricket Club defeated Albion by 27 runs to clinch 3rd place award. Port Mourant amassed 159 for 9 off 20-Overs as Loydel Lewis topscored with 56 and received support from D. Chalitar with 31. Gudakesh Motie 2 for 22 and Kandasammy Surujnarine 3 for 28 bowled well for Albion. In reply, Albion defeated 2014 champions City Star to be the Zone A runner-up. In Zone B, Port also played undefeated to head the Zone while Albion emerged as the runner-up. The highlight of the day was Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets blasting 295 for 4 off 20-Overs against Ankerville as Delbert Hicks 60, Eon Hooper 78 not out and Pestano 70 hit the ball all over the ground. Ankerville were bowled out for 113 in reply to lose by 182 runs.
At the presentation ceremony, organiser Roy Ramgoolam of New York expressed gratitude to the eight teams for their high level of discipline and congratulated the Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets for winning the 2015 Championship after being the losing finalist last year. Rose Hall Town received $400,000, the Championship trophy and medals for each player, while Ankerville collected $200,000, runner-up trophy and medals. Port Mourant Cricket Club carried home $100,000 for 3rd place, while Pestano received trophies and a combined $80,000 for being named Man of the Finals and best overall batsman of the tournament (270 runs). John Percival of Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets, Yogindra Harrinarine of Port Mourant Cricket Club and Gudakesh Motie of Albion shared the $40,000 prize for being named Best Bowlers with thirteen wickets each. Three lucky spectators carried home $70,000 as gate prizes while a dancing competition was also organised with $60,000 shared out. The Port Mourant Cup is organised by Ramgoolam family as a gift to their former homeland.