The Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) on Sunday last successfully completed the final of the 10 grassroots tournaments it had promised to host across the county in an effort to bring back passion for the game of cricket after an enforced absence of one year owing to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The final leg was played at the Bush Lot Village Ground for the Troy Halley Challenge Cup. Four teams were involved in the one-day tournament – D’Edwards CC, Achievers CC, Bush Lot United and Bush Lot Rising Stars.
D’Edward won the toss and batted first. They amassed a healthy 181 for 7 from their allotted 20 overs. Lakeraj Sukwah top-scored with 60, which included four massive sixes and five boundaries, He received support from Altaf Khan (28); Deonauth Persaud (20) and Keith Fraser (18).
Bowling for Bush Lot United, Andrew Rambarran took 3 for 37 from his four overs while Rajpat Khemraj and Rajeef Kishun took one wicket apiece for 13 and 44 respectively from four overs. In reply, the home team fell short by six runs as they ended on 175 for 8 from their 20 overs.
Needing to score 14 runs in the last over, Bush Lot United only managed eight runs to give D’Edward the title. Nawindra Prasad scored a polished unbeaten 51, which included two boundaries and three sixes, and got support from Kymant Ally (29) and Rajpat Hemraj (42). Bowling for the visitors, veteran Heeralall Bridgelall took two wickets for 11 runs from two overs while Sukwah completed a fine all-round performance by taking 2 for nine from one over.
Earlier in the day, D’Edward CC defeated Bush Lot Rising Stars CC by eight wickets, while Bush Lot United eased past Achievers CC by eight wickets.
The nine other tournaments were sponsored by a wide range of former cricketers associated with Berbice cricket. They include Narsingh Deonarine, Hemnarine Chattergoon, Vishal Nagamootoo, Karran Singh, Arjune Nandu, Mukesh Appiah, Jeremy Gordon, and Shimron Hetmyer.
Apart from renewing the passion for the game among players, the other objectives of the grassroots tournaments were to identify new talent, promote social cohesion, and to allow smaller clubs the chance to win a BCB title.
BCB President Hilbert Foster announced that teams in the four sub-zones: West Berbice, Upper Corentyne, New Amsterdam-Canje and Lower-Central Corentyne would now clash in their own interzone knockout tournaments before the countywide round-robin tournament starts later in the year. BCB Vice President Robby Saywack extended gratitude to Troy Haley, a former West Berbice player for his support and called on others to follow in his footsteps. The winning and runners-up teams received a financial prize along with trophies while Sukwah was named Player of the Finals and received a medal and cash prize as well.