Central Sports crush Merry Boys, one hand on TTCB premiership title

With just one round left to play, reigning champions and table-toppers Central Sports moved a step closer to clinching the 2025 TT Cricket Board Premiership I National League title when they completed a convincing nine-wicket win over Merry Boys Sports Club at Invaders recreation ground, Felicity, in the eighth round on May 11.

Entering the round with a 22-point lead, Central Sports put one hand on the trophy with their display versus Merry Boys. Veteran leg-spinner Imran Khan was key as he claimed nine wickets in the match, with Barbados opener Zachary McCaskie putting the finishing touches on the performance with a vicious knock of 73 not out in the second innings as his team chased 126 for victory.

Merry Boys were bowled out for 195 in the first innings, with Khan (four for 80) and Sameer Ali (four for 47) doing the damage for Central Sports. The holders took a 58-run lead into the second innings as Jeremiah Cruickshank's 60 pushed them to 253. After Khan helped to bowl out Merry Boys for 183 in the second innings with a five-wicket haul, McCaskie thumped six sixes and four fours in an unbeaten innings to take Central to 129 for one to seal the win.

At Marchin recreation ground in Charlieville, the second-placed Bess Motors Marchin Patriots kept momentum ahead of their critical meeting with Central in the final round when they beat Preysal Sports by seven wickets.

Windies opening batsman Evin Lewis was the star of the show as he slammed an unbeaten 142 to take the Patriots to 327 for nine declared in their first innings. Patriots boasted a massive 192-run lead as Preysal were bundled out for 135 in their first innings, with spinner Ricky Jaipaul claiming five for 17.

With Preysal being bowled out for 199 in their second innings, the Patriots lost three wickets in their facile chase of an eight-run target.

From May 17 in Felicity, the Patriots will square off with Central Sports with high stakes involved.

Summarised Scores:

MERRY BOYS: 195 (Rondell Ramlogan 78, Gio Letren 45; Sameer Ali 4/47, Imran Khan 4/80) & 183 (G Letren 38, Gerard Chin 34; I Khan 5/83, Marlon Richards 2/10) vs CENTRAL SPORTS: 253 (Jeremiah Cruickshank 60, Leonardo Julien 54, Zachary McCaskie 30; Ryan Bandoo 4/45) & 129/1 (Z McCaskie 73 not out, Aaron Alfred 31). Central Sports won by 9 wickets.

PREYSAL: 135 Jason Batson 36, Camillo Carimbocas 23; Ricky Jaipaul 5/17, Kashtri Singh 4/65) & 199 (J Batson 74, Nick Ramlal 38; K Singh 3/39, R Jaipaul 3/82) vs BESS MOTORS MARCHIN PATRIOTS: 327/9 declared (Evin Lewis 142 not out, Adrian Ali 42; Aneal Rooplal 3/76) & 8/3 (C Carimbocas 2/4). Marchin won by 7 wickets.

POWERGEN: 179 (Videsh Sookhai 93, Nicholas Ali 25; Yannick Ottley 6/74) & 266/5 (Jason Mohammed 66 not out, V Sookhai 52, Akeil Cooper 50 not out; Y Ottley 3/64) vs CLARKE ROAD UNITED: 172 (Antonio Gomez 46, Nicholas Sookdeosingh 35; N Ali 4/84, V Sookhai 2/18). Match drawn.

YORKSHIRE: 415/5 declared (Mario Belcon 138, Samuel Felix 102 not out, Ethan Gibson 88; Ramesh Bridgelal 2/57) vs PRISONS: 258/9 declared (Zackurrie Raghoonath 104, Kareem Hamilton 66; Chris Pattia 4/72, Devon Boyce 3/70) & 102/1 (Leon Bassano 50 not out). Match drawn.

QPCC: 361 (Bryan Charles 93, Kyle Ramdoo 65, Jordan Warner 55; Jordan Samkeran 4/97, Jovan Ali 3/70) vs VICTORIA: 348/9 (J Samkeran 79. Damien Singh 78, J Ali 40; B Charles 7/150). Match drawn.