RHT Thunderbolt clinch title in nail-biter

BCB/RHTY&SC Busta 40 Overs Champion of Champions tourney…

ꟷ as Foo’s brilliance fails to save Albion

By Brandon Corlette in Berbice

The Rose Hall Town (RHT) Thunderbolt Flour team have defeated arch-rivals Albion by three runs in an exciting 40-over encounter that was the final match in the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) Rose Hall Town Youth and Sports Club (RHTY&SC) Busta 40-overs Champion of Champions tournament.

Watched by a capacity crowd at the Port Mourant Community Centre Ground on Sunday last, Albion, in pursuit of 182 for victory over RHT, fell short by three runs, ending on 178-8 when their 40 overs had expired.
Guyana Jaguars batsman Jonathan Foo played a masterful innings of 76, but it proved insufficient for the Albion team.
The match came down to the proverbial wire, with 17 runs required from the final over, and fast-bowler Keon Sinclair on strike. With Foo at the crease, the crowd had fancied Albion’s chances of pulling off the win, but the final over yielded 13 runs, with Foo smashing a six before being run out four balls into the over.

After Foo’s departure, Albion found themselves needing 8 runs from only two deliveries. A fortunate boundary from the penultimate ball changed the dynamics of the game to 4 runs being required off the final ball; but RHT prevailed, taking a wicket off that final ball.

Crandon’s 71 leads RHT to 181 all out
Fresh from a stint in Canada, former Guyana Jaguars player and West Indies ODI player Royston Crandon played a brilliant knock of 71 from 69 balls, including three sixes, to lead RHT to 181 all out in 39.2 overs.
RHT began with a 32-run opening partnership featuring veteran Delbert Hicks and former Guyana U-19 batsman Junior Sinclair. Hicks departed for nine off the bowling of Foo, and two runs later, Jason Sinclair was run out for one.
The right-handed Crandon, batting at number four, played a mature innings, although he lost partners at regular intervals.
He was supported by the Sinclair brothers: Junior, who made 25 from 32 balls, including three fours; and Keon, who chipped in with 16 from 11 balls.
Bowling for Albion, promising Berbice left-arm youth spinner Gourav Ramesh grabbed 3-22 in eight overs, while Sarwan Chaitnarine took 2-9. Foo, David Latchya and Kandasammy Surajnarine each took one wicket.

Foo controls the chase
In 10.2 overs, Albion lost three wickets with the score on 55. Surajnarine fell to captain and off-spinner Eon Hooper, who made a mess of the right-hander’s stumps after he had scored only four.
Adrian Sukwa was bowled by paceman Keon Sinclair for three, while Sharaz Ramcharran made a 30-ball 31 that was decorated with four boundaries. He was eventually bowled by Sinclair.
Batting at number four, Foo was partnered by Rajiv Ivan, a former Guyana Jaguars batsman, whose stay at the crease was brief, as off-spinner Crandon rattled his stumps for five.
Foo and Latchaya added 61 runs for the fifth wicket partnership, rotating the strike and hitting the odd boundary. Latchaya departed for a boundary-less 26 from 58 balls, after hitting a Hooper delivery to cover and being caught.
At that point, Foo remained in control, with Albion on 125-5, but he lacked capable partners in the lower order. On a fairly large outfield, and with a pitch that had invariable bounce, Foo managed to clear the boundary twice, besides hitting three fours in a crafty innings that ended with a run out through the efforts of a calm Hooper and a sharp glovesman in Jason Sinclair.
Hooper ended with figures of 2-28 in seven overs, while Keon Sinclair had 2-44 as Albion’s 40 overs expired on 178-8.
When Foo was dismissed four balls into the over, the game was decided: RHT won the championship trophy and $100,000, while Albion received $50,000 and the runners-up trophy.
This final was described by BCB President Hilbert Foster as one of the best contested in the ancient county.