Both Albion Community Centre (ACC) and Rose Hall Town Windies Sports Bar (RHTWSB) have a score to settle when the two clash in the Berbice zone of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Gafoors nationwide first division 2020 competition.
They both had contrasting victories over their semifinal opponents with ACC defeating Blairmont Community Centre (BCC) by 81 runs, while RHTWSB got the better of Young Warriors by one run in a nail biting encounter.
At the Port Mourant Community Centre ground ACC took first strike after they won the toss and scored 175-4 from their 20 overs with Berbice middle-order batsman Ranga Lachigadu and national under-19 all-rounder Jonathan Foo being unbeaten on 92 and 43 respectively.
Between them, a total of 11 fours and five sixes were scored as they shared an unbroken fifth wicket partnership of 110 runs from 11 overs after their team were 65-4 in the ninth over in the encounter which was the first semifinal.
Bissnarine Basdeo took 2-31 for BCC who were bowled out for 94 in reply with only Eon Abel (28) and national fast bowler Brendon Bess 24 being the principal scorers against the bowling of Narsingh Deonarine (3-25) and Orvin Mangru (2-11).
In the second semi final, RHTWSB managed to scrape home by one run over Young Warriors who were the inaugural 2020 champions here in Guyana, having won the Sharpooji Polanji 2020 tournament in 2006.
RHTWSB took first strike after they won the toss and reached 145-7 when their overs expired, with national all-rounder Esaun Crandon who opened the batting leading the way with 59 (4×4; 2×6) and along with Renwick Batson (20), added 53 for the first wicket from 8.2 overs.
Jason Sinclair offered support with 21 as Farouk Hussain (3-28) and Munilall Shivdyal (2-36) were the principal wicket takers for Young Warriors, who thanks to the efforts of Richard Ramdeen (43) and Waheid Edwards (42) raced to 61 without loss from 7.2 overs.
Ramdeen then added a further 51 runs for the second wicket with national under-19 middle order batsman Seon Hetmyer 923) from eight overs, but it was not good enough as the bowling of the Crandon siblings Esaun (2-19) and Royston (2-39) ensured Young Warriors fell one run short of their victory target.
The finals will be played at a venue and date which will be decided by the Berbice Cricket Board of Control (BCBC). (Calvin Roberts)
