Jeremiah Harris ripped through the heart of the Lusignan batting order, enabling Malteenoes to cruise to a seven wicket victory in the final of the Busta national second division 40-over competition at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground yesterday.
After winning the toss Malteenoes chose to field and that paid big dividends. The former national under-19 opening bowler, in his man-of-the-match winning performance, had the East Coast team reeling from the start. In his first over, Somnauth Bharratt tried to pull a short ball and was caught at short extra cover, and in the same over Vishnu Ramjeet sliced a simple catch to gully and Lusignan were 10-2.
The writing was on the wall when national under-19 batsman Krishna Deosarran could not get out of the way of a lifting ball from Harris that touched his glove and ballooned to gully before he had scored and the total was on 18.
Howard Chance had Sidartha Anandjit trapped leg-before-wicket and Harris picked up another wicket, and at 20-5 Lusignan were struggling for survival.
Skipper Hardeo Sattuar 20 and Surujpaul Deosarran 34 (4×4) put on a sixth wicket stand of 60 to bring a modicum of respectability to the total. Lusignan were bowled out for 106 in 33.5 overs. Harris ended with figures of 8-1-36-6.
Malteenoes made light work of the small total and cruised to victory in 27.1 overs for the loss of three wickets. Imran Hassan top scored for the victors with 38 (3×4) while Danny Naryan chipped in with 21(3×4) not out.
The winners carted off $50,000 along with their trophy while the runners-up pocketed $25,000 plus their trophy.
