Two masterful performances from the highly talented Jayden Gaupat and Leon Reddy led the Rose Hall Town (RHT) Bakewell Team to a comfortable sixty- run victory over Courtland in the final of the 14th annual Naeem Nasir Memorial Cricket Tournament. The one- day tournament involving four teams – RHT Bakewell, East Bank Strikers, Courtland and Guymine Cricket Club was played at the Area ‘H’ Ground in front of a sizeable crowd.
Early morning showers affected the Area ‘H’ Ground and forced the organisers to cut back the T20 tournament into a fifteen overs event. In the first match, Courtland defeated former champions Guymine by one wicket. Guymine posted 115 for 9 in their allotted 15 overs but Courtland, led by the experienced Garfield Benjamin batted well to win by one wicket. Requiring two off the last ball of the innings, No. 11 batsman Somail Deonarine struck off spinner B. Ramsarran for six after the deep wicket fielder C. Hope took a catch with his feet touching the boundary board.
Rose Hall Town Bakewell restricted East Bank Strikers to 60 for 8 off fifteen overs with Jeremy Sandia’s 2 for 7 being the best bowling figures, while Jayden Gaupat, Romesh Bharat, Leon Reddy and Javed Karim each took a wicket apiece. In reply, the Rose Hall Town Bakewell team reached 61 for 3 in 7.2 overs with Javed Karim unbeaten on 22 while Razam Koobeer’s 16 and Romesh Bharat’s 13 each contributed.
In the final, which was played over twelve overs due to time constraint, Courtland won the toss and elected to bowl first. Rose Hall Town Bakewell lost former national youth player Romesh Bharat for nought off the fourth ball of the innings. Notable contributions from Ramzam Koobeer (15), Jeremy Sandia (14), Javed Karim (16) and Luther Arthur (10) enabled the eventual champions to reach 66 for 7 in the 8th over. National Under 16 Player Leon Reddy then played a brute of an innings, scoring 40 not out off 14 balls with 4 massive sixes and two delightful boundaries. He shared a crucial 9th wicket partnership with wicketkeeper Justin Bokin who contributed 16, featuring a four and a six. Rose Hall Town Bakewell ended their innings on 130 for 9 from 12 overs as the talented Reddy struck medium pacer Corley De Jonge for two sixes off the last two balls.
Needing to score 131 from 72 balls to claim the championship title, Courtland was given a rousing start as the powerful Levi Thomas struck two sixes and two fours off left arm spinner Jeremy Sandia in the 2nd over, as the visitors raced to 30 without loss. Experienced off spinner Jonathan Rampersaud then bowled Thomas for 30, at 35 for 1 in the 3rd over. National Under 16 left arm spinner Jayden Gaupat and Rampersaud then spun webs around the Courtland batsmen. Kevin Sinclair (7), Kelsy Henry (6), Garfield Benjamin (10), Timothy McDonald (0), Troy Matheson (0), De Jonge (0), Somail Deonarine (1), Joel Johnson (1), Stephen Kamaludin (2) all fell cheaply as Courtland were bowled out for 70 in 9.3 overs. Gaupat, who models himself after West Indies left arm spinner Gudakesh Motie had ended with four wickets for sixteen runs while Rampersaud claimed three wickets for sixteen wickets while Sandia took two wickets for twenty- six runs.
Rose Hall Town Bakewell received $100,000 and the winner’s trophy while Courtland carried home $50,000 and the runner- up trophy. 3rd Place Guymine also received a cash prize while the Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club, the organisers donated a box of cricket balls to the East Bank Strikers.
General Manager of Bakewell, Rajin Ganga hailed the tournament as a success and as a perfect tribute to an outstanding tribute to the late Naeem Nasir. The popular Bakewell Bakery has been the official sponsor of the RHTYSC Under 17 and Second Division teams since 2000. The two teams have won over twelve Berbice Championships over the years and has produced over fifty national players for Guyana including test players Assad Fudadin, Kevin Sinclair and Kevlon Anderson.
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