Pawan Debe Youths, Valley Line in T20 final

Pawan Debe Youths beat neighbours Gandhi Cricket Club by five wickets on Saturday to move into the finals of the Championship Division of the General Earth Movers Limited-sponsored Southern Sports T20 Cricket Fiesta at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.

Chasing 135 for victory, Pawan Debe Youths were spearheaded by Ronnie Siewjattan’s knock of 41 not out. James Duncan chipped in with 28 to secure victory with a total of 137 for five. Amir Khan (2/19) and Keegan Jagessar (2/27) were Gandhi’s top wicket-takers. Earlier, Gandhi posted a modest score of 134 for seven, with Jagessar blazing 55 and Kapil Harry adding 21. Javed Mohammed (2/13) and Dianand Mahase (2/32) did the damage with the ball for Pawan Debe Youths.

The Debe-based team will face Barrackpore’s Valley Line Sports in the final on May 4 at Guaracara Park, after the latter defeated Edinburg United by 39 runs in the other semi-final.

The T20 Cricket Fiesta is taking place at Guaracara Park over eight nights. The finals of the Championship Division will take place on May 4 at 7:30 pm, with third place playoff at 4:30 pm between Gandhi Cricket Club and Edinburg United. The first prize is $12,000, runners up get $6,000, with the 3rd place receiving 3,000 and 4th place awarded $1,500.

In the Intermediate Division semi-finals recently, Golconda United got the better of John Peter Road Insiders by eight wickets, and Tarouba Sports beat Punishers Sports by three wickets. Batting first, Punishers Sports were 126 all out in the 19th over. At their turn at the crease, Tarouba eked out a very difficult victory which went down to the last ball. Tarouba, needing five runs for victory in the last two balls of Anderson Maingot in the 20th over, were indebted to batsman Nicholas Buchoon who struck a four in the 5th ball to tie the scores. With Punishers desperate for Super Over, Buchoon swung and missed the final ball which struck his thigh, but the batsmen scampered a single.

The finals of the Intermediate Division will take place on Friday at Guaracara Park at 7:30 pm. The third place playoff will be at 4:30 pm between John Peter Road Insiders and Punishers. First prize in the Intermediate Division is $10,000, runners-up receive $5,000, 3rd place get $2,500 and 4th place take home $1,250.

Summarized scores:

CHAMPIONSHIP DIVISION SEMI-FINALS

GANDHI CRICKET CLUB 134/7 - Keegan Jaggersar 55, Kapil Harry 21, Javed Mohammed 2/13, Dianand Mahase 2/32, vs PAWAN DEBE YOUTHS 137/5 – Ronnie Siewjattan 41 n.o., James Duncan 28, Amir Khan2/19, Keegan Jaggessar 2/27.

VALLEY LINE SPORTS 171/5 – Sharadath Maharaj 47, Samuel Gabriel 33, D. Rampersad 22, Junior Cedeno 2/28 vs EDINBURG UNITED 132/10 – Darren Choon 35, Shivanand Siesaran 14, Amit Sankar 2/10, Rooplal Bissoon 2/27.

INTERMEDIATE DIVISION SEMI-FINALS

JOHN PETER ROAD INSIDERS 124/5 – Rajendra Mangalie 54, Scott Ragbir 24, Shane Katwaroo 2/15, Kevin Seepaul 2/24 vs GOLCONDA UNITED 125/2 – Tariq Abdool 56, Kishan Seepaul 31, Scott Ragbir 1/20, Keiron Benny 1/22.

PUNISHERS SPORTS 126/10 – Amir Mohammed 45, Jason Jennings 29, Nicholas Buchoon 4/9, Mukesh Persad 2/24 vs TAROUBA SPORTS 127/7 – Ryan Oudit 53, Nicholas Buchoon 40, Anderson Maingot 2/25, Ritish Ramlochan 2/19.