Sir Garfield Sobers International Schools tourney

Jul 19, 2017 Sports

St Joseph’s High and School of the Nations lose again

Despite the dodgy weather the 31st Annual Sir Garfield Sobers International School’s 40-over

Byran Brown

cricket tournament continued in Barbados on Monday and gloomy conditions was similar to the performances of Guyanese Schools, St Joseph’s High School and School of the Nations, who both suffered fifth round defeats.
With just two rounds remaining and with St Vincent School along with Barbadian schools Foundation and Lodge winning every game so far and Bryanston still unbeaten, it’s no longer possible for either of the Georgetown Educational institutions to reach the July 23 Final at the Mecca Kensington Oval.
In 2002, East Bank’s Covent Garden Secondary, led by former Guyana U-19 batsman Zaheer Saffie, became the first school from Guyana to participate in the most popular schools cricket tournament in the world but no Guyanese school have ever won the coveted title.
School of the Nation got closest to the title in 2008 when they finished third but flattered to deceive the next year when they arrived in Barbados with a squad including wicketkeeper Dexter Solomon, Berbice batsman Jamali Odle and off-spinner Ricardo Devers, who had represented Guyana in the Regional Under-17 tournament in Trinidad in December 2008. Former Guyana Under-15 players Toralva Scipio, Kwame Cross, Jahron Byron and Kevin Fredericks are also in the side.
On Monday at the Friendship ground, Bolton School from the United Kingdom registered an emphatic seven-wicket victory over School of the Nations after bowling out the Guyanese for 127 in 28.4 overs and galloping to 131-3 in just 16 overs.
Mark Ramsammy has been his team’s most consistent batsman in this tournament and looking good on 38 but again failed to build on a good start, while Mark Baptiste 21, Suresh Jainarine 17 and Akash Singh 12, were the only other batsmen to reach double figures.
Tjase Pindoria (6-30) and William Lord (2-27) did the damage for Bolton. Joe Ball (51), Harry Bevan (29 not out) and Daniel Southworth (23) saw their school to an easy win.
At the Briar Hall ground, Foundation School beat St Joseph’s High school by seven wickets after they were dismissed for 144 in 27 overs.
Jeremiah Scott (42) and Quentin Sampson (25) again wasted solid foundations, while Dudi O’Selmo 19 and David Marshall 12 provided token resistance as Rondre Yearwood 3-15, Shakeem John-Ruck 3-27, Joshua Corbin 2-22 were the main wicket takers.
Foundation in reply reached 147-3 in 24 overs with Joshua Corbin 55 not out, Glennico King 51 and Ramar Newton 10 not out getting the Bajans over the line.
At the Paragon ground Oakville Cricket Academy of Canada beat Dominica Schools by six wickets in a match reduced to 34 overs.
Dominica Schools were bundled out for 107 in 32 overs as Kerwin Dupigny 21, Malakai Xavier 20 and Gamaliel Ophar 20 getting useful scores. Atishai Mansingh 2-10, Shemar Davis 2-12 and the Nandu siblings Matthew (2-17) and Marcus (2-22) the sons of former Guyana leg-spinner Berbician Arjune Nandu, got two wickets each. Guyanese David Dick had one wicket and did not bat as Oakville made 109-4 in 26 overs.
The 17-year-old Jamaican Bryan Brown followed up scores of 107, 23 and 60 with a commanding unbeaten 61 and remains the only batsman to score a century in this year’s tournament. Browne got support from Matthew Nandu 20 and Kerwin Dupigny 2-16.
The St Joseph’s High pair of Timothy McAlmont (50) and Quinton Sampson (55) along with School of the Nations Jerimiah Scott (72) and Oakville Cricket Academy’s David Dick (60) are the only Guyanese to score half-centuries, while Ramsammy (113 runs) has been the only Guyana to claim a five-wicket haul and is among the tournaments leading all-rounders. (Sean Devers)