The winning Albion team poses with their winnings along with the sponsors and representatives of the BCB.
By Samuel Whyte
Albion Community Centre showed their all-round ability as they whipped Young Warriors Cricket Club by 113 runs in the final to cart off the inaugural Elizabeth Styles Under-19 -50-Over Cricket Competition which was played last Saturday at the Cumberland Ground in Canje.
Their march to victory was first lead by former Berbice under-19 all-rounder Veerapen Permaul who scored a well-crafted 64 (6×4) batting at no3, that guided them to a workable 183 all out before their all-spin attack, led by West Indies Under-19 left arm spinner Gudakesh Motie, wrecked the Young Warriors batting to continue their good showing in the Berbice Cricket Board 2013 cricket season.
Albion CC were asked to take first strike after losing the toss and began their innings with former Guyana Under-19 batsman Kandasammy Surujnarine and Berbice Under-17 batsman Balchand Baldeo. They were in early trouble when the inform Surujnarine was dismissed for 5 with the score on 8. Permaul came in and he and Baldeo steadied things with a 48-run partnership in 7.3 overs before Baldeo was caught for 39 with the score on 54 for 2.
Berbice Under-19 all-rounder Sharaz Ramcharran (16) then joined Permaul as they posted a valuable 25 for the 3rd wicket. Permaul continued to bat sensibly as he then put on 24 for the 4th with David Latchaya (11) and 27 for the 5th wicket with Motie with the score on 134.
The Warriors then fought back to take three quick wickets with former Guyana under-19 off spinning all-rounder Linden Austin picking up two to reduce them to 134 for 7 after 29.5 overs. But with Permaul still there another crucial 34 were added with Avinash Wajib (14).
Permaul eventually went for 64, being removed by Berbice all-rounder Suresh Dhanai with the score on 181 for 9 in 42.1 overs. Albion eventually fell for 183 in 45 overs. Bowling for the Warriors, Austin was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 13 from 9 overs; he was supported by Dhanai and off spinning all-rounder Kevin Ramdeen with 2 for 35 and 39 respectively.
Mr Bissoondyal Singh presents the winning trophy to the Albion captain
When Young Warriors began their response, they sensed their chances with West Indies Under-19 batsman Shimron Hetmyer, former Guyana U-19 batsman Austin and former Guyana youth batsman Ramdeen being depended upon to take them home on the small ground. However things started badly for the home team with Hetmyer being dismissed in the second over by off spinner Baldeo for 1 at 5 for 1, nixing the anticipated Hetmyer-Motie battle.
Baldeo continue to make inroads with another wicket to leave them at 8 for 2. Motie then joined the fray to remove Royden Phil for 7 at 25 for 3 as the Warriors continued to surrender meekly as their plans failed miserable, failing to cope with the spin.
Things then spiraled into despair for the Warriors as they lost their way and were soon 41 for 5 and then 62 for 7 and with the last three wickets tumbling at the same score they surrendered at 70 all out in 29 overs, being soundly beaten by 113 runs, with only Austin (12) and Ramdeen (11) reaching double figures.
Bowling for Albion, Motie 3 for 12 and leg spinner Wajib 3 for 15, with support from off spinners Latchaya 2 for 4 and Baldeo 2 for 14 were the destroyers. Permaul was named man-of-the-match.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony immediately after the game, sponsor’s representative of Elizabeth Styles a US-based cosmetics company, was former Guyana Cricket Board Vice President, Mr. Bissoondyal Singh, who said the company, is very pleased with the manner in which the competition was organised by the BCB. He added that the work of the BCB must be admired. After learning that several semi-finals and finals were playing simultaneously over the weekend, Mr. Singh called on other cricket boards in Guyana and the Caribbean to take a page out of the BCB book.
He mentioned that Elizabeth Styles was so impressed with the competition that they have decided to sponsor two competitions in 2014, with the U-19 and another being on the cards. He also made a commitment to assist the BCB with the funding for a comprehensive coaching programme next year.
First Vice President of the BCB, Anil Beharry, in response, thanked Mr. Singh and Elizabeth Styles for their faith in Berbice cricket. He also thanked the media and all the teams that participated, and congratulated Albion for winning the tournament.
The winning team was presented with the Elizabeth Styles trophy and other prizes by Mr Bissoondyal Singh. The runner up and other outstanding performers were also rewarded.
The teams and officials were also presented with products of the company.