Navin/Hanso/Revision Optical T20 final: Ramjeet, Ali lead Lusignan to tense victory over Enmore
SUMMARY: Enmore 150-8 from 20 overs (Rudolph Singh 70, Amir Khan 36; Chanderpaul Ramraj 3-15, Kumar Bishundial 3-21, Somnauth Bharratt 1-26, Rajindra Naikbarran 1-28) vs Lusignan 152-5 from 19.4 overs (Vishnu Ramjeet 57*, Shazam Ali 32*, Somnauth Bharratt 16, Robin Williams 16; Richard Chaturia 2-20, Chaitram Balgobin 2-43, Rajpaul Basdeo 1-25)
Experienced batter Vishnu Ramjeet played an innings for the ages to lead Lusignan Sports Club to a five-wicket win over Enmore in the final of the Navin/Hanso/Revision Optical T20 Championship, organised by the East Coast Cricket Board.
East Coast Cricket Board President Davteerth Anandjit (stooping right) with the successful Lusignan team
In a keenly contested final, Enmore posted 150-8 from the allotted 20 overs, and Lusignan overcame some ‘death’ over jitters to win with two balls to spare.
At 108-5 at the end of 16 overs, the game had been tilted in favour of Enmore, with 43 required off 24 balls and Lusignan’s top order batters back in the hut. However, Ramjeet found a more than capable ally in Shazam Ali, and the pair forged an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 45 to seal the championship.
The duo took 14 off the 17th over to reduce the equation to a manageable 29 off 18, and then 12 off the 18th over to make the equation much more manageable at 17 off 12.
From left: Best Batsman Rudolph Singh, Man-of-the-Match Vishnu Ramjeet, and Best Bowler Chanderpaul Ramraj
Enmore skipper Satash Jainarine conceded just five off the penultimate over, leaving spinner Chaitram Balgobin to defend 12 off the last over. Any intention Balgobin had of silencing the Lusignan supporters was dashed with the very first ball, which Ramjeet clobbered for six to bring up his half-century; and three balls later, a calm and composed Ali sealed the match with a boundary.
Ramjeet struck five sixes and three fours in his unbeaten 52, while Ali found the boundary six times in his 32 not out. Openers Robin Williams and Somnauth Bharratt each made 16, and former national cricketer Krishna Deosarran chipped in with 14.
Bowling for Enmore, Richard Chaturia took 2-20, Balgobin took 2-43, and Rajpaul Basdeo took 1-25.
Enmore’s innings were built on a solid 70 from opener Rudolph Singh, the left-hander hitting five sixes and three fours. Apart from 36 (3x4s, 1×6) from First-Class player Amir Khan, no other Enmore batter got going.
Bowling for Lusignan, Chanderpaul Ramraj took 3-15 off three overs, and Kumar Bishundial took 3-21 off three overs.
In the third-place game, Industry Rubis defeated Strathavon, who made 119 in a game reduced to 16 overs. Industry Rubis won by four wickets.
At the presentation ceremony, Lusignan received the championship trophy and G$150,000 while Enmore had to settle for the runner-up trophy and G$75,000. Industry Rubis were rewarded G$50,000 and Strathavon were rewarded $25,000.
Ramjeet was named Man-of-the-Match for his match-winning innings, while Rudolph was adjudged “Best Batsman” and Ramraj “Best Bowler”.
