Mikkel Govia, Joshua Davis guide North/Tobago to U23 Cup title

A 93-run middle-order stance from Mikkel Govia (68) and Joshua Davis (34 not out) set the stage to affirm North/Tobago Masqueraders a four-wicket win over Central/South West Flamingos, and the U23 Cup title, when the final bowled off at Brian Lara Cricket Academy in Tarouba on January 26.

Sent in to bat, Flamingos’ openers Kyle Balraj (51) and Aaron Bankay (43) built a stern partnership of 95, which helped guide them to 227 all out from 50 overs. Mikeal Sinanan also scored 51 from 47 balls while Kyle Kissoondath struck 30 runs.

Masqueraders’ Davis also showed class with the ball as he picked up 3/29, with Chadeon Raymond (3/66), Andur Rahman Juman (2/24) and Eric Garcia (1/51) also among the wickets.

Set at 228 for victory, Masqueraders had good top order knocks as Kyle Ramdoo (45) and Jeremiah Cruickshank (28) started on the front foot. Davis also looked good in the middle, and when Govia joined him on 134/5 from 32.5 overs, the pair buckled down and championed the chase.

Davis and Govia batted until the score was level on 227 each, before the latter was caught out by Ryan Bandoo off Lemuel Matthews’ bowling, with under just over six overs to go. However, new batsman Olando James smashed a boundary off the next ball to see North/Tobago capture the U23 Cup crown.

Kevin Kanhai (2/43) was Central/South West’s best bowler as Rajeev Ramnath (1/19), Ronillster Perreira (1/22), Bandoo (1/39) and Matthews (1/50) bagged one each.