Historic inter zone match opens Berbice Cricket season

Feb 17, 2009 Sports

West Berbice/New Amsterdam/Canje beat Corentyne

The 2009 season of the Berbice Cricket Board of Control was launched in style on Sunday at the Canje ground with a historic inter-zone match, which saw West Berbice/New Amsterdam/Canje defeating Corentyne by six wickets.

The match originally scheduled to be a 40-over affair, had to be reduced by 8 overs due to overnight rain.
Batting first after losing the toss, the opening pair of Moshin Perkhan and Renwick Batson took the score to 59 in 16 overs before Batson was bowled by Eugene La Fleur for 26 and innings which contained 2 fours and a solitary six. Peter Grimes was then dismissed for 1 off the bowling of Steven Latcha at 62-2.

Perkhan was next to go, stumped by Winston Rose off Latcha, 70-3. It soon became 71-4 when Delbert Hicks was bowled around his legs by off spinner Andrew Williams for 1.

Assad Fudadin and Jonathan Foo then tried to repair the damage with stand of 32 with Foo taking the attack to the bowlers as he hit a brisk 22 before he was bowled by off spinner Balram Samaroo, 103-5.

Sherwin Murray quickly followed for 2, LBW to Williams but skipper Andre Percival and Fudadin saw their team to 127-6 when their 32 overs expired, Fudadin was left not out 35 and Percival 2.

West Berbice/New Amsterdam/Canje needing to score at exactly 4 runs per over found themselves in early trouble 10-2, Karchanand Bissoondial (2) and Artley Bailey the batsmen back in the pavilion.

But national under-19 player Seon Hetmyer and Keith Fraser then added 81 for the 3rd wicket with Fraser hitting the bowling to all corners the ground in a top score of 58 which was decorated with 5 sixes and 3 fours.

Hetmyer continued to bat beautifully and together with skipper Eugene La Fleur carried his team to 117 before he was caught by Perkhan off Foo for 30 (2 fours). La Fleur 16 not out and Balram Samaroo 8 then carried their team home, ending on 131-4 in 26 overs.

Bowling for Corentyne Hardyal was the pick of the bowlers with 2-15 off 3 overs while Jonathan Foo took 2-18 off six. Fraser was named man-of-the-match for his match winning innings.

With the season now launched, competitive club action will bowl off this weekend with play in the Spready’s Bakery under-19 round-robin and the ABS 40 first division knock-out competitions.

Over 30 teams would clash in the under-19 tournament which bowls off on Saturday, while the County’s 12 first division teams will face off from Sunday.

The BCBC is advising clubs to start preparation for several other new tournaments which would be played at the under-13, 17 and 23 levels.

The following clubs are also required to be at Area ‘H’ Ground on Thursday at 11:00hrs to receive balls: Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club; West Berbice, Blairmont, Bermine, Police, Young Warriors, Rose Hall Canje, Albion, Chesney, Port Mourant, Whim, Kildonan, Scotsburg and Skeldon.