Central Sports clinch National League crown

CENTRAL Sports won the TT Cricket Board National League Premiership I title after drawing with PowerGen in the last round, which ended yesterday.

Central Sports entered the final round in control of their destiny on 121 points, 22 ahead of second-place Marchin Patriots who won their match but could not make up the deficit.

Central Sports earned 11 points from the match to end with an unassailable 132 points.

Central Sports were dismissed for 278 yesterday, after resuming the day on 240/5 in their first innings, in reply to Powergen’s score of 335. It meant PowerGen earned a lead of 57 runs.

Jesse Bootan and Lendl Simmons cracked 74 and 64 respectively for Central Sports. PowerGen were all out for 255 in their second innings with former West Indies player Andre Fletcher hitting 110 and Sameer Ali grabbing 5/66 for Central Sports. Central Sports closed on 84/3 chasing over 300 for victory, but earned enough points in the match to seal the title. In other matches, Merry Boys edged Preysal by 13 runs; Bess Motors Marchin Patriots defeated Profilbau Victoria United by 73 runs; and the match between Clarke Road United and 2023 champions Queen’s Park Cricket Club ended in a draw.

Summarised Scores:

POWERGEN 335 (Navin Bidiasee 130, Samuel Roopnarine 77; Mikkel Govia 4/57) and 255 (Andre Fletcher 110; Sameer Ali 5/66) vs CENTRAL SPORTS 278 (Jesse Bootan 74, Lendl Simmons 64; Kavesh Kantasingh 4/51, S Roopnarine 4/100) and 84/3 (Shayne Mosely 51 not out; Shaaron Lewis 3/32). Match Drawn.

MERRY BOYS 335 (Daron Cruickshank 145; Nathaniel McDavid 5/98) and 106 (D Cruickshank 34; Aneal Rooplal 4/21, Justyn Gangoo 3/42) vs PREYSAL 180 (Antonio Gomez 57; Darren Deonarine 7/57) and 248 (Lemuel Matthews 103, Renaldo Forrester 31; D Deonarine 6/83, Rakesh Seecharan 2/78). Merry Boys won by 13 runs.

MARCHIN PATRIOTS 218 (Crystian Thurton 69, Adrian Ali 48; Jovan Ali 5/56, Avinash Mahabirsingh 3/83) and 219 (C Thurton 60, Teshawn Castro 43; A Mahabirsingh 5/74, J Ali 4/82) vs PROFILBAU VICTORIA UNITED 206 (Kyle Roopchand 54, Eton Bhal 44 not out; Richie Looknauth 5/44, Kashtri Singh 4/41) and 158 (Vishaul Singh 71; K Singh 4/43, T Castro 3/36, Kissoondath Magram 3/45). Patriots won by 73 runs.

CLARKE ROAD UNITED 444 (Kyle Hope 117, Mark Deyal 82; Ravi Khadoo 3/53, Jason Batson 3/115) vs QUEEN’S PARK 530/9 (Jordan Warner 184, Brandon Maharaj 126; Kerwyn Sirju 5/163, M Deyal 4/119). Match Drawn.