Chanderpaul Govindan spearheads JC Chandisingh Secondary School to title

BCB/RHTYSC/GBTI Inter-Secondary Schools Under-19 Cricket Tournament…

A brilliant innings of 46 from Berbice Under-17 player Chanderpaul Govindan spearheaded J.C. Chandisingh Secondary School to Championship honours in the Final of the Berbice Cricket Board- organised Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club/Guyana Bank for Trade & Industries Inter-Secondary Schools Say No to Suicide Under-19 tournament.
The tournament was contested by these four secondary schools in the Lower Corentyne area: Lower Corentyne Secondary School; J.C. Chandisingh Secondary, Corentyne Comprehensive, and Port Mourant Secondary.
The tournament was the 17th to be completed by the vibrant Berbice Cricket Board over the last four months under the Presidency of Hilbert Foster, who also serves as Secretary/CEO of the Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club, MS.
In the opening round, Port Mourant Secondary School lost to Corentyne Comprehensive High School by eight wickets. Batting first after losing the toss, Port Mourant Secondary reached 45 for 5 off their allotted eight overs, with A. Hartman 11 and R. Rampersaud 10 reaching double figures.
National junior cricketer Gourav Ramesh took 2 wickets for 5 runs.
In response, Corentyne Comprehensive High School raced to 50 for 2, with Tyrese Sealey hitting 25 while D. Brijadder was unbeaten on 12. Lower Corentyne Secondary was restricted to 30 for 7 against J.C. Chandisingh Secondary, with only Vijay Gopilall reaching double figures, with 12.
Christopher DeRoop claimed 2 for 2 in an impressive spell. Skipper Jonathan Rampersaud then struck a quick-fire 23 not out to lead J.C. Chandisingh to victory at 32 for 1 in the fourth over.
In the grand finale, played in front of a sizeable crowd of school children, J.C. Chandisingh Secondary amassed 88 for 5 off 12 overs, with Govindan hitting six sweetly-timed boundaries in his 46. Tagwah Ross supported with 15. Gourav Ramesh took 2 for 8, while Tyrese Sealey, D. Brijadder and Mahendra Gopilall took a wicket each. Corentyne Comprehensive High was never allowed to score quickly, and apart from Ramesh who contributed 23 not out, Sealey 11, and Shamar Scott 11 not out, none of the other batsmen looked at ease, as Corentyne Comprehensive High ended on 62 for 5, to lose by 26 runs. Jonathan Rampersaud, Surendra Ramcharitar and Christopher DeRoop took a wicket each for the champions.
BCB President Alex Foster praised the four teams for the high level of discipline displayed during the match, and encouraged them to always strive for excellence. He told the attentive youths that Berbice Cricket was on the move again after a period of neglect, and he urged the players to take full advantage of the opportunities being presented to them. He spoke on the importance of youths saying no to drugs, suicide, alcohol, tobacco and crime, and yes to education, sports, culture, religion and life.
The Rose Hall Town Youth & Sports Club and the Berbice Cricket Board, he said, would continue to organise cricket tournaments on a large scale once he remains part of their management, as sports are a safe alternative to a life on the road for youths.
Special thanks were extended to the management and staff of the Port Mourant Branch of the Guyana Bank for Trade & Industry.