New Amsterdam/Canje and Lower Corentyne advance to final

Pre-tournament favourites New Amsterdam/ Canje and Lower Corentyne will clash in the final of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB)/ National Communications Network (NCN) Inter Zone Under 15 tournament.

In the semi-finals played last weekend, NA/Canje beat West Berbice on first innings while Lower Corentyne also won on first innings against Upper Corentyne.

Playing at the Blairmont Community Development Centre Ground, New Amsterdam/Canje rattled up an impressive 223 for 9 off their allotted 55 overs with Leon Andrews 73 (5×4 and 2×6), National Under 19 batsman Shimron Hetmeyer 40 and Jermain Henry 35, the principal scorers.

Balchan Baldeo

Bowling for West Berbice, off-spinner Parmanand Ramdhan took 3-51 and medium pacer Greisan Grant 3-46.

In response, West Berbice fell for a paltry 82 from 30 overs with only Grant, 17, and Akeem Miller, 15, reaching double figures.

Off spinner Leon Andrews took 5-33 and left-arm spinner Gavin Moriah Jr., 3-2.

In their second innings, New Amsterdam/Canje reached 85 for 3 when the game was called off. Shimron Hetmeyer made 30 with five fours and Clinton Lindee 26. Off spinner Miller took 2-34.

Over at the Area ‘H’ground, Lower Corentyne won the toss and batted scoring 191 all out in 51 of their allotted 55 overs.

Deon Esau

Balchan Baldeo, 79, Brandon Prashad, 30, and Daniel Lewis, 21 were the principal scorers as skipper Deon Esau bowling off spin claimed 7 wickets for 23 runs while Totaram Rajram supported with 2-45.

In reply, Upper Corentyne struggled to 82 all out from 30 of their allotted 55 overs. Only Esau with 25, Jameel Jackman, 14, and Rajiv Bickram, 11, reached double figures. Bowling for Lower Corentyne, Vemen Ramoo took 3 wickets for 10 runs, Lewis 2 for 7 and Joshua Harrichan 2 for 4. Batting a second time, Lower Corentyne, with a first innings lead of 109 runs, reached 146 for 2 before the game was called off. Baldeo scored his second half-century of the match with a stroke-filled innings of 92 studded with 16 boundaries before he was caught and bowled by Bal Chan. His opening partner, Prashad made a rapid even 50 with nine fours.

New Amsterdam/Canje and Lower Corentyne will clash in the final while West Berbice and Upper Corentyne will battle for third and fourth place. The matches are slated for Saturday with the venues to be named.