Adrian Ali captain of the First Citizens Clarke Road United team has been blazing a trail this season with the bat, leading from in front in both the Premiership three-day and Premiership 50 overs tournament.
The right handed wicketkeeper/batsman started the season with a rapid 25 against Queen's Park but this was just a little sign of what was to come. In the following game he made just 17 against his former club Alescon Comets, but has never looked back since.
Prisons were up next and they experienced the talent of the pint-sized batsman when he slammed a typically aggressive unbeaten 136 not out. In that clash the Prisons bowlers could not contain Ali, as he ran amok to take his team to a convincing win. The last 50-overs match he played was against Tableland United two weeks ago and he continued in his purple patch with 55.
Last weekend he was instrumental in taking Clarke Road to a massive 10-wicket victory over Tableland, scoring 53 in the first innings and 43 not out in the second, as his team ran down a victory target of 96 runs, without losing a wicket.
In league play, Ali has scored 158 runs at an average of 52.66 with two half centuries and a best of 56. In the 50 overs, he has notched 233 runs at an average of 77.66 with a best effort of 136 not out.
ADRIAN ALI SCORES THIS SEASON
PREMIERSHIP LEAGUE
6 & 56 vs Prisons
53 & 43 no vs Tableland
PREMIERSHIP 50 OVERS
25 vs QPCC
17 vs Comets
136 not out vs Prisons
55 vs Tableland
EYM crushes D Force by 270 runs
El Soccorro Youth Movement was in top form last weekend, as they humbled the Defence Force by 270 runs in the North Championship 50 overs league.
Batting first, EYM tallied 351 for six of their 50 overs and Defence Force in reply was bowled out for just 81. Also on winners row on the weekend were Endeavour Sports which clipped Munroe Road by four wickets, Couva Sports which defeated Santa Cruz by seven wickets and Police which narrowly defeated Orangefield by five runs.
In the league, Couva Sports leads the standings after two rounds, as they defeated Santa Cruz on Sunday to move to 51 points. Joining them at the top also with 51 points is Orangefield Sports. They defeated Police by 152 runs in their latest encounter.
NORTH CHAMPIONSHIP
50 OVERS SCORE
MUNROE ROAD CC � 187 ALL OUT / 45.5 OVERS vs ENDEAVOUR SC � 190 FOR 6 / 40.5 OVERS - Endeavour won by 4 wkts.
SANTA CRUZ SC � 148 ALL OUT / 34 OVERS vs COUVA SPORTS � 150 FOR 3 /29 OVERS - Couva Sports won by 7 wkts.
T&T POLICE SC � 282 ALL OUT /49 OVERS vs ORANGEFIELD SC � 277 ALL OUT / 48.3 OVERS - Police won by 5 runs.
EL SOCORRO YOUTH MOVEMENT � 351 FOR 6 /50 OVERS vs DEFENCE FORCE - 81 ALL OUT / 17.5 OVERS - EYM won by 270 runs.
NORTH CHAMPIONSHI
LEAGUE SCORES
MUNROE ROAD CC 266 & 141 all out vs ENDEAVOUR SC 136 & 246 - Endeavour won by 30 runs. Endeavour 25 points, Munroe Road 8pts-
SANTA CRUZ SC 129 & 288 all out vs COUVA SPORTS 280 all out and 140 - Couva Sports won by 7 wkts. Couva Sports 25 points, Santa Cruz 7 pts.
ORANGEFIELD S.C- 306 & 211 vs T&T POLICE -115 all out and 250 all out. - Orangefield won by 152 runs. Police 9 pts, Orangefield 28 pts.
Defence Force 101 all out and 164 all out vs EYM 218 all out and &50/4 - EYM won by 6 wkts.
LEAGUE STANDINGS
Team P PTS
Couva Sports 2 51
Orangefield Sports 2 51
EYM 2 49
Police 2 32
Endeavour 2 32
Munroe Road 2 16
Santa Cruz 2 10
Defence Force 2 10