Two wickets from Dinesh Ramlal yesterday helped give the South zone a small 10-run lead on first innings, which ultimately led the southerners to the BG T&T Under-19 two-day Interzone cricket title over East at the National Cricket Centre in Balmain, Couva.
Both teams started the second day knowing that first innings points will most likely lead to the title. East resumed its first innings yesterday on 137/7, 41 runs behind South. East would have been hopeful to get past the South zone first innings score of 178, as Hance Kallicharan was unbeaten on 34 and Afdal Khan, another capable batsman, not yet off the mark. Unfortunately, the pair could only add 12 to the overnight score, when Kallicharan was trapped leg before by Ramlal for a patient 42 (125 balls).
Reshawm Baptiste came to the middle and did not stick around, dismissed by Samuel Roopnarine for three. With the score on 156/9, East still needed 23 runs to win first innings points. Unfortunately, with the score on 168, Ramlal trapped Akeel Seetal in front to give South the slim lead. Ramlal ended with 3/30, while Roopnarine grabbed 3/45.
South got off to a positive start from the opening pair of Nadir Mohammed and Justin Samkaran, with the latter dominating the partnership. Mohammed was first out for 12 and Samkaran fell shortly after to leave South on 77/2. Samkaran struck 58 (50 balls), which included nine fours and one six.
Any chance of a East fightback was halted by a 84-run stand between Jyd Goolie and captain Keron Kanhai. Goolie made 40 and Kanhai scored 42. South got to 227/7 and with an overall lead of 237, the match was stopped as an outright win for either team was unlikely. South were crowned BG T&T U-19 champions after winning first innings.
The semifinals of the BG T&T 50-over U-17 tournament will bowl off today at 10 am.
SCORES
At National Cricket Centre: South 178 (Justin Samkaran 56, Keron Kanhai 40, Nadir Mohammed 25, Tevon Jadoo 5/48, Akeel Seetal 2/28) and 227/7 (Samkaran 58, Kanhai 42, Jyd Goolie 40, Seetal 2/42, Afdal Khan 2/57) vs East 168 (Jeremy Solozano 67, Hance Kallicharan 42, Dinesh Ramlal 3/30, Samuel Roopnarine 3/45) Match Drawn–South won on first innings.
TODAY'S BG U-17 SEMIFINAL FIXTURES
Central vs North at Presentation College, Chaguanas
East vs South at National Cricket Centre, Couva.