Umpires beat Ex-Nationals in T20

UMPIRES claimed sweet revenge against the Rebels team of ex-national players in their annual T20 cricket grudge match last Friday under lights at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.

The Umpires team won the match handsomely by 48 runs after winning the toss and electing to bat, scoring 164 for the loss of four wickets. In reply, the Rebels were restricted to 138 for seven.

The match was dominated by the individual all-round brilliance of Denzil James whose undefeated knock of 92 earned him Man-of-the-Match, Best Batsman and Best Bowler awards.

His innings comprised five boundaries and two maximums off just 60 balls and he shared an entertaining 137-run partnership with Christopher Lennard who made 44 with two fours and one big strike over the boundary rope.

The best bowling performance from Rebels came from Anderson Nesbitt who grabbed two for 14 in two overs.

In their run chase, Hezron Ramcharitar slammed 39 with a pair of fours and sixes off 31 balls, and Junior Maxwell hit a run-a-ball 37 with three boundaries and one maximum.

However, it was not enough to enable their team to retain the Parasram Singh-Kelvin Williams Challenge Trophy which they won last year.

James, after his scintillating knock, returned with the ball for Umpires to take two wickets for 26 runs in four overs, while Chris Pattia got two for 27, and Marlon Richards, the national player, claimed two for 26.

In attendance at the match was first vice-president of the TT Cricket Board Arjoon Ramlal who commended both Singh, the past president of the TT Umpires Council, and Williams, national women's team coach for organising the match which is now an annual affair.