Regal Masters and WD Mavericks Sunday marched into the semi-finals of the Guyana Cricket Board/Tropical Springs Over-40 T20 tournament following convincing quarter-final wins.
At the Enmore Community Centre Ground, the opening match saw WD Mavericks easing to a 24-run win over Essequibo’s Reliance.
Mavericks elected to bat first after winning the toss in the 14-overs-a-side contest and posted 93 for seven from their quota.
In reply the West Demerara side made scoring difficult for the Cinderella County men who staggered to 68 for eight at the end of their allotted overs.
Johan Bedasi picked up the best figures of the competition so far 4-4 from two overs. He was supported by Mohan Chaitram, 2-18 and Nigel Vieira and Devindra Ramdehol with one wicket each.
Teddy Manchal top scored with 13 before Ramdehol trapped him leg before wicket and Elroy Stephney made 12 before being stumped off of Chaitram but no other batsman could get going.
Earlier, it was Lalta Suknanan who piloted the innings for Mavericks with 45 not out, laced with two fours and a six. David Alert chipped in with 14 while extras accounted for 13. Premnauth Persaud ended with two for 17 while Stephney (2-18) and Trevis Simon (2-23) supported.
The second match at the venue saw Regal Masters inflicting a nine-wicket drubbing on West Berbice Masters in a one-sided contest.
West Berbice won the toss and wanted to first use of the pitch, eventually posting a sub-par 81 for six from their 20 overs.
Regal, in reply, made light work of the chase, reaching 85 for one with 61 balls to spare.
Rajban Hemraj and Trevor Crawford gave West Berbice the perfect start, putting on 60 for the opening partnership before Hemraj departed for 29. His innings featured two boundaries but he rotated the strike well with Crawford who retired hurt on 26. No other batsmen got into double figures as Regal’s bowlers got into their groove. Chien Gittens was the pick of the bowlers returning two for nine while Andre Percival, Anthony Ifill and Eion Abel picked up one wicket each.
In the chase, Gittens returned to ace the hunt as he stroked five fours and two sixes on his way to 48 before being bowled by Keith Fraser. Gittens added 69 for the opening wicket with Ifill who went on to make 21 and see his side over the line with Roy Persaud who sealed the deal with consecutive boundaries.
The semi-final action Saturday will see Regal coming up against undefeated Berbice Zone leaders, Jai Hind Jaguars while it will be a clash of the West Demerara sides when Mavericks takes on WD Masters in the second semi-final.
