Sinclairs inspire Rose Hall Town Bakewell to another championship

BCB/NBS 2nd Division Cricket Tournament…

Three years ago, Rose Hall Town Bakewell became the runners-up of the Berbice Cricket Board/New Building Society (BCB/NBS) Second Division 40-Over Cricket Tournament when they lost to Tucber Park by a mere six runs at the Albion Community Centre Ground.
On Sunday, they lifted their sixth Berbice Second Division Championship when they easily defeated D’Edward Cricket Club by 71 runs at the Albion Community Centre Ground. Rose Hall Town Bakewell were inspired by brilliant all-round performances by skipper Kevin Sinclair and Junior Sinclair, both Guyana junior national players.
The final was played in front of a noisy fair-sized crowd in brilliant and hot sunshine. D’Edward won the toss and to the surprise of Rose Hall Town Bakewell, elected to field. The Sinclair cousins started slowly but later blossomed to put on 131 for the first wicket in 26 overs before Junior Sinclair was caught off the bowling of H Lalsa for 43 from 71 balls. Kevin continued to play in his attacking style, and together with Surendra Kissoonlall, took the score to 190 for 1 in the 36th over.
Kissoonlall scored 25 fluent runs in the 59-run partnership before he was dismissed while Sinclair fell shortly after for a brilliant 119 from 112 balls. His innings included 11 sweetly-timed boundaries. Rose Hall Town Bakewell ended on 211 for 8 from their allotted 40 Overs as the rest of the batsmen tried to score quickly in the final four overs. Bowling for D’Edward, Keith Fraser took 2 for 23; Romesh Boodram, 2 for 20 and Eon Abel, 2 for 17.
Needing to score 212 to win their third title at this level, D’Edward started like a house on fire as they raced to 33 without loss in the fourth over before Lakeraj Sookhra was run out by a direct hit by Kevlon Anderson for 22. Heeralall Bridgelall was also run out for a duck at 48 for 2 before Romesh Boodram was caught off left-arm spinner Keith Simpson for one.
Opener Altaf Khan and Deandranauth Persaud then added 50 crucial runs for the fourth wicket before the partnership was broken by Junior Sinclair at 112 for 4 in the 26th over.

With D’Edward needing to score about seven runs per over, the pressure proved to be too much for the other batsmen. Persaud eventually fell for 39, but Devendra Lalsa (0); Jaaipaul Heeralall (6); Eon Abel (2); Keith Fraser (3) and H Lalsa (1) all fell cheaply as D’Edward folded for 141 all out in 34 overs. Junior Sinclair (4 for 30); Kevin Sinclair (2 for 28); Keith Simpson (1 for 15) and Jonathan Rampersaud (1 for 13) all bowled well for the champions.
BCB President Hilbert Foster hailed the completion of the 90-team tournament in just eight months as a remarkable achievement, and stated that it was the shortest time in which the tournament was completed in the 12-year history of NBS-sponsored cricket in the Ancient County.
The BCB President also hailed the continued support of NBS, and noted the contributions of Dr Nanda Gopaul, Anil Beharry and Rana Persaud. Foster also disclosed that the BCB was expecting to host over 30 finals in 2019.
NBS Berbice Manager Rana Persaud noted that the financial institution was pleased to be associated with Berbice cricket and stated that he was very pleased with the level of cricket played during the tournament.
A pleased Persaud also congratulated the Cricket Board on its outstanding organising of Guyana’s largest cricket tournament and announced that NBS would continue to support Berbice cricket in the future. Kevin Sinclair was named Man of the Final and received $10,000 and a trophy. The champions and runners-up received $100,000 and $50,000, respectively, along with trophies.