BCB Premier T20 Cup: Pestano, Hooper power RHT NAMILCO into another final

A brutal innings of 60 not out from Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour First-Division Captain Clinton Pestano and a fine bowling spell from former senior national player Eon Hooper powered their team to an easy eight-wicket victory against Blairmont in the semifinal of the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Premier T20 tournament.
Playing at the Area H Ground in blazing sunny conditions, the Berbice powerhouse booked their place in another final after winning the BCB Ivan Madray T20 tournament last week against arch-rivals Albion at the Number 69 Ground.
Blairmont led by veteran Shameer Baksh won the toss and elected to take first strike.
They lost opener S Bissoondyal caught behind the wicket by Jason Sinclair off Hooper for 0 at 9 for 1 in the second over. Former national Under-19 player Javed Karim was caught at long on off Troy Matterson for 20, at 29 for 2 in the fifth over. The Blairmont team never recovered as the home team’s bowling attack tightened the screws. A Balman scored 24 with two boundaries, but apart from Farouk Subhan with 16, none of the other batsmen reached double figures. Nigel Deodat (9); Seon Glasgow (0); Sameer Baksh (0), D Mickle (0), Clive Harry (6), A Ragbheer (5) were all dismissed cheaply while A David was unbeaten on 1 as Blairmont were bowled out for a meager 94 in 19.3 overs. Hooper claimed 3 for 23 from four impressive overs while Keith Simpson continued to impress with his left-arm spin by claiming 2 for 18. National Under-17 off spinner Matthew Pottaya took 2 for 8 from 2 overs while Matterson (1 for 8); Jeremy Sandia (1 for 14) and Jonathan Rampersaud (1 for 12) all bowled well.

Needing to score 95 from 20 overs to book their place in the final, Rose Hall Town lost opener Pottaya, bowled for 8 at 29 for 1 by Nigel Deodat in the third over.
Pestano started with a sweetly-timed boundary as he batted aggressively from the start, but lost fellow national player Kevlon Anderson at 39 for 2 when he pulled a Seon Glasgow delivery into the hands of deep mid-wicket. Jonathan Rampersaud joined his Captain, and they added 60 runs for the third wicket to lead their team into the final. Pestano ended on 60, not out, from 30 balls with 6 boundaries and 6 sixes in his brutal innings while the elegant Rampersaud ended on 16 not out. Left-arm spinner Nigel Deodat took 1 for 31 from 4 overs while Glasgow claimed the other wicket to fall for 27 runs from two overs as Rose Hall achieved victory off 11.2 overs at 99 for 2.
Rose Hall Town NAMILCO Thunderbolt Flour will now await the other finalist. Albion and Port Mourant will play in the first quarter-finals while Tucber Park and Rose Hall Canje will clash in the second. The winning teams would then play in the semifinal to decide the other finalist.