Byass smashes 193 and takes 5-5 in 418-run win

Errol Byass single-handedly led Skeldon Titans to victory scoring 193 with the bat and taking 5-5 with the ball.
Errol Byass single-handedly led Skeldon Titans to victory scoring 193 with the bat and taking 5-5 with the ball.

The Berbice Cricket Board/New Building Society 40-Overs Second Division Tournament continued last weekend with matches across the Ancient County and saw Skeldon Titans thumping All Family by 418 runs and Cotton Tree crushing No. 4 Cricket Club by a massive 319 runs.

Playing at Crabwood Creek, Titans batted first and posted 469-7 with Errol Byass missing out on a double century as he fell for 193. He was supported by Gajendra Ramnarine (86), Gurendra Nauth (75 not out) and Jermaine Reid (45) while Byass returned with the ball to take 5-5 as All Family imploded for 51 in 13 overs.

Meanwhile, Cotton Tree elected to bat first on their home ground and piled on the runs, managing an imposing 415-9 from their full quota while their bowlers were equally impressive to contain No. 4 to 96 all out in 26 overs.

Centurions Nashad Gaffoor (left) and Nick Ramsaroop

For Cotton Tree, top order batman Nick Ramsaroop anchored the inning with an unbeaten 106 as Mahendra Singh also hammered an even century. Pooran Persaud also got into the runs with a solid 65. With the bowlers’ figures looking expensive, T. Persaud managed 3-48 from his quota.

In the chase, Nashad Gaffoor was unplayable, picking up 4-8 while H. Singh chipped in with 3-16. Only K. Persaud (24) and A. Johnson (17) managed double figures.

At Hampshire, Fyrish Road Cricket Club defeated Belvedere United by three runs after posting 182 and bowling out their opposition for 179 in 30 overs. D. Persaud top scored with 80 with the next best score coming from I. Amin with 20 as P. Moses, H. Khemraj and Sudesh Veerapen picked up three wickets each. In the chase, Michael Ishmael was the only batsmen to show promise but gained no support as he remained unbeaten on 55 with S. Tika taking 3-30.

At Bush Lot, Achievers Youth climbed to 234-7 and limiting Hopetown Spartans to 216 all out in 32.2 overs to win by 18 runs. All Youths were spurred to the total on the backs of S. Angel (79) and Sherwin McPherson (45). Despite a knock of 62 from Steffon Adams, and an even half century from Graseen Grant, Hopetown Spartans were unrooted by D. Samuels and R. Mitchell who bagged four wickets each.

At the same venue, Bush Lot United defeated Paradise by 1 run. In a match reduced to 27 overs, Bush Lot reached 155-6 from their allotted overs before limiting Paradise to 154-9.

At Hopetown, Paradise Challengers Cricket Club lost to Hopetown Spartans by 14 runs after being bowled out for 209 in 31 overs, in reply to Hopetown’s 223 all out in 30 overs.

Hopetown batted first and got up to the total with Oswald Cain smashing 66 supported by Derrick Mc Calmont with 51. E. Fordyce top scored with 53 for Paradise but it was not enough to pull their side to victory with L. Davidson remaining unbeaten on 31 and R. Edwards picking up 3-28.

In the other matches, Bush Lot Rising Stars defeated Bath Community Centre by two wickets at Paradise Ground, Rose Hall Town Bakewell beat Port Mourant by five wickets at Port Mourant and Tain Block 4 beat Tamarind Root by four wickets.