Central Zone won the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) Under-17 crown yesterday with an emphatic victory over North in the final at the National Cricket Centre (NCC) in Balmain, Couva.
The Central boys ran away eight-wicket winners completing the campaign unbeaten. Batting first North lost quick wickets at the top and could have feared worst had it not been for the efforts of Chadeon Raymond who scored 62. He faced 93 balls, hitting five of them to the fence.
The star of the show for Central was tall off-spinner Ranjiv Droonjansingh. He bagged 3/27 to put the skids under North. Fellow spinner Roneilstar Perriera was also good and took 2/21, while Shiva Sankar chipped in with 2/22.
When Central batted, they got an opening stand of 50 from skipper Aaron Bankay and Kyle Kissoondath. Despite the fall of Bankay for a run-a-ball 19, Kissoondath stayed to the end and with support from Rajiv Ramnath, they added an unbroken 54 runs for the third wicket to seal the victory.
Kissoondath, who played for the T&T U-15 team last year, got 63 off 65 balls with 11 fours while Ramnath made 25 not out off 35 balls with two fours.
Central's win in the U-17 age group follows their victory in the U-15 tournament held last month.
TTCB INTERZONE FINAL SCORES
NORTH 133 all out (37.1) (Chadeon Raymond 63, Nicholas Elliot 22, Ranjiv Droojansingh 3/27, Roneilstar Perriera 2/21, Shiva Sankar 2/22) vs Central 134/2 (Kyle Kissoondath 63 not out, Rajiv Ramnath 25 not out) - Central won by 8 wkts.