A solid all round performance from Arthley Bailey steered Achievers Cricket Club to a 60-run victory over Rainbow Cricket Club when action in the West Berbice Cricket Association (WBCA)/Regency Suites/ Buddy’s International Hotel Under-23 limited overs competition continued last weekend.
Playing for his team at the Lovely Lass ground in a game which was reduced to 35 overs-a-side due to the late arrival of the opposition, Bailey scored an unbeaten 42 (3×6) in his team’s score of 167, then returned to claim 4-23 from six overs as Rainbow were bowled out for 107 in reply.
Raffell Estriado (39), Asif Khan (18) and Roun Johnson (16), all offered support to Bailey with the bat, with Khan and Estriado adding 67 runs for the first wicket against the bowling of Odel Burnett (4-22) and Jermaine Skeete (3-24) for Rainbow.
In reply, Rainbow found the bowling of Bailey and national under-19 fast bowler Keyron Fraser who took 3-26 from seven overs too much to handle and succumbed for 107 with Darren Downer (30), Sherwin Mc Pherson (21) and Keno Gravesande (11) being the lone batsmen to reach double figures.
Achievers did not only complete a 60-run victory but also became the first team to reach the semifinals of the competition.
Over at the D’ Edward ground, the home team A side defeated Number Two by 39 runs in their encounter which was closely contested despite the margin of victory.
D’ Edward batted first and were bowled out for 219 from 30 overs, with Lakeray Sooka 82 (7×6; 3×4), Sardat Haripaul (50) and Navindra Rampersaud (23) being the principal scorers against the bowling of Pasram Persaud (3-27), Waheed Hassan (2-27) and Totaram Heera (2-33).
In reply, Number Two were bowled out for 189 from 27.3 overs with Persaud returning with the bat to blaze his way to 73 (8×6; 5×4). Sooka pulled the plug on the Number Two batting with 5-19 and along with Kevon Jahwa (2-21) and Sardat Haripaul (2-49)snatched victory from the jaws of defeat for their team.
D’ Edward and Blairmont will now face each other to decide who will top Zone A.
