Memorex and Blairmont Community Centre have both qualified for the semi-finals of the 2011 Universal DVD Club First Division Twenty/20 Cricket Competition after play last weekend from October 28 to 30 in Berbice.
The victory means that both clubs will join Group B winners and runners-up Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets and Young Warriors Universal DVD Club respectively.
Spearheading Memorex Bermine to their two comfortable victories were Keion De Jesus who slammed a brilliant 77 (8×4, 3×6) to pace them to 151 for 4 in 20 overs against Blairmont who could only respond with 113 for 9 in their 20 overs.
In the other match against Port Mourant Karibee Rice, after Memorex had lost the La Fleur brothers and De Jesus with only 21 runs on the board, all-rounder Devon Clements repaired the innings by scoring a timely 35 and with the help of Stephen Latcha 24, guided them to 131 in 19.4 overs.
Clements then came back with his tight off-spin and took 3 for 1, which was largely responsible for Port Mourant being bowled out for 87.
Meanwhile on Saturday, after their loss to Memorex Bermine on Friday Blairmont bounced back to secure two upset wins against Albion Community Centre and Edinburgh in their double header.
In the first match, with Berbice Under-15 left arm spinner Parmanand Ramdhan picking up 3 for 19 from and pacer Deveshwari Prashad taking 2 for 27, Blairmont did well to restrict Albion, strengthened by the return of their Regional One-day cricketers, Jonathan Foo and Veerasammy Permaul to 125 for 8 in 20 overs. When Blairmont replied, Karamdat Bissoondial hit 47 not out and Romesh Boodram 41 (4×6, 1×4) aided their side to cruise to a six-wicket win with nine-balls to spare.
In the other match, off-spinner Riad Ally and medium pacer Denny David picked up 3 wickets each to aid Edinburgh in restricting Blairmont to 128 for 7 in their 20 overs.
When Edinburgh replied, however, they scored steadily but lost crucial wickets to be 93 for 5 in the 15th over, but were still looking safe. But then Blairmont off-spinner Nadesh Basdeo picked up three quick wickets and pacer Deveshwari Prashad two to see them swiftly decline to 99 all out. Basdeo ended with 4 for 15.
In Edinburgh’s other match on Friday, they easily defeated Port Mourant Karibee Rice with Rudrunauth Seepersaud scoring 40 and leg-spinner Shafiq Khan taking 3 for 17 for Edinburgh while pacer Boughnarine Persaud took 4 for 23 for Port Mourant Karibee Rice.
Group A points standing after the preliminary rounds:
Memorex Bermine
12 points from 4 matches
Blairmont Community Centre
9 points from 4 matches
Edinburgh
8 points from 4 matches
Albion Community Centre
8 points from 4 matches
Port Mourant Karibee Rice
1 point from 4 matches
Meanwhile the semi-finals are both scheduled as a double header on Monday, a public holiday, at the Blairmont Community Centre Ground at 09.00 hours where Memorex Bermine will clash with Young Warriors Universal DVD Club, while from 13.30 hours Blairmont Community Centre will take on Rose Hall Town Gizmos & Gadgets.
