Sahadeo Hardieou and Shaheed Mohamed yesterday steered Lower East Bank Lions past Lower East Coast Bulls by seven wickets in the opening encounter of the Cheddi Jagan Memorial/National Sports Commission over-40 T20 knock out competition.
Played at the Enterprise Community Development Centre ground, Hardieou’s 50 and Mohamed’s unbeaten 41 led the victors in a successful chase in response to the Bulls’ score of 136-2 in 20 overs. Lions ended on 137-3 in 18.1 overs.
Hardieou and Nigel Estrado added 83 runs in an aggressive opening stand before being dismissed three runs apart from each other.
Estrado struck three fours in 23 while Hardieou clobbered four fours and three sixes in his innings.
Lions lost another wicket that of Deonarine Debidyal for seven but Mohamed, who survived a dropped catch, rallied to remain unbeaten on 41. Seeraj Bhaimsingh, Chatterpaul Singh and Seemangal Yadram claimed one wicket each. When the Bulls batted Latchman Yadram and Vishwanauth Gobin shared an opening stand of 50 before Gobin was caught off Johnny Azeez (1-10) for 18. Shortly after, Yadram retired hurt for 35 but some lusty hitting from Nadir Baksh propped up his team’s total. Baksh, who added 71 runs for the third wicket with Seemangal Yadram, stroked three fours and two sixes before he was run out one short of a well-deserved half century while Yadram hit two maximums in scoring 19 not out.
The second round of the competition is set for tomorrow.
