Star-studded JC Chandisingh Secondary are Fyah Friday champions

By Brandon Corlette

Captained by discarded national player Jonathan Foo, JC Chandisingh Secondary (JCSS) emerged as victors in the Fyah Friday T10 tournament played over the weekend at Albion Sports Complex.
This tournament ,which was organised by the Port Mourant Secondary School, saw JCSS defeating the New Amsterdam Multilateral Secondary School (NAMS) under lights in the T10 contest.

Former national youth player Javed Karim was the star of the final, claiming 2-11 and scoring an unbeaten 19. Batting first, NAMS posted 54-6 in 10 overs, with Devendra Ramkishun scoring an unbeaten 15 and Suresh Dhanai contributing 12. Karim, one of two guest players for JCSS, claimed two wickets, and was supported by Foo, who had 2-18 in two overs.
The NAMS side was baptised by the fiery national fast bowlers Keon Joseph and Demetri Cameron, who got the fair-sized crowd at Albion abuzz. In the chase, JCSS ended on 55-3 in 8.5 overs, with Karim scoring an unbeaten 19 along with Jonathan Rampersaud, who made 13 not out, as JCSS won by seven wickets. Dhanai had 2-18 for NAMS.
Earlier, in the semi-final, NAMS defeated the Berbice High School by six wickets. Berbice High School posted 63 all out in 10 overs with Kevon Jawahir scoring 20 and Alex Algoo contributing 13. Former national youth off-spinner Seon Glasgow, who had a hat-trick in the earlier game, claimed 3-8 in two overs for NAMS. Dhani had 2-7. In response, NAMS reached 64-4 with Seon Hetmyer, the elder brother of Shimron Hetmyer, scoring 13 not out. Jawahir had 2-10 in two overs of leg-spin for Berbice High School.
The one-day tournament, which featured six teams, began in grand style when NAMS beat hosts Port Mourant Secondary in a super over. NAMS posted 71-6 in 10 overs, with Garfield Benjamin scoring 31. Former Test player Devendra Bishoo had 1-9 bowling for Port Mourant Secondary. In response, Rampertab Ramnauth led the Port Mourant school to 71-7 in 10 overs, after the left-hander scored 25. Glasgow starred for NAMS with 3-10.
The powerful Glasgow returned with bat in the super over, and helped NAMS chased down 10 in the next over, hitting Bishoo for a maximum.
BHS also knocked out the Junior Sinclair-led Lower Corentyne Secondary. Berbice High School defended their total of 60-9 in 10 overs. Algoo made 35 for his side, while Ishwar Singh, the brother of current USA player Gajanand Singh, bowled Berbice High School to victory, restricting Lower Corentyne to 56-8 in 10 overs. Singh had 2-2 in two top overs.
JCSS, who drew a bye to the final, had also defeated Corentyne Comprehensive by 15 runs. JCSS posted 82-8, with Foo scoring 21 and Karim scoring 15. Turbo Jagdeo had 3-17 in two overs. In response, Jason Sinclair’s unbeaten 28 failed to take Comprehensive to the total of 83, as they ended on 67-5. Former Test player Sewnarine Chattergoon made eight as JCSS had a collective bowling effort.
The tournament, which featured mostly past students of the respective schools, was hailed as a success by the organisers after its return post COVID-19.