vinode.mamchan@guardian.co.tt
Central will play North in the championship match of the T&T Cricket Board (TTCB) Under-17 series next Wednesday after both teams won their respective semi-final clashes on Wednesday.
Central got through after its game against East was rained off at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Central goes through having won three matches in the preliminary round, as compared to two won by East team.
The other semi-finals saw North winning a close contest by three wickets over defending champions South at the National Cricket Centre in Couva. That game was also affected by rain and reduced to 30 overs per side. Batting first, South got a top score off 60 from batting mainstay Tariq Mohammed. The right-hander scored his runs off just 58 deliveries and only after his dismissal North was able to come back into the contest. Towards the end of the innings, the hard-hitting left-hander Darren Samlal stroked 28 and Rodney Beharry got 19, as South closed on 165/7.
Given the strong South bowling attack, this score looked defendable at the midway stage but openers Jeremiah Cruickshank and Nicholas Elliot added 66 runs for the first wicket. South came back well through spinner Aston Harracksingh but Chadeon Raymond lent bat to ball to take his team home. Cruickshank made 36, Elliot 33 and Raymond 34.
SCORES
At the NCC: South 165/7 (30overs) (Tariq Mohammed 60, Darren Samlal 28, Rodney Beharry 19, Mathew Gittens 2/39, Chadeon Raymond 2/28, Aidan Samaroo 2/28) vs North 169/7 (29) (Jeremiah Cruickshank 36, Nicholas Elliot 33, Chadeon Raymond 34, Aston Harracksingh 2/48) - North won by 3 wkts. North moves on to the finals.
At BLCA: East vs Central - rained off. Central moves on to the finals.
Hillview into Intercol semis
Hillview College by far the most successful school in PowerGen schools cricket over the past few years has booked a place in the semi-finals of the PowerGen Intercol tournament with a comprehensive victory over Presentation College, San Fernando at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy yesterday.
Hillview made 156 for three off their 20 overs and then bowled out Presentation for 80 to win the match by 76 runs. Presentation College held their own for the first 14 overs, as Hillview struggled to 64 for two by that time.
However, skipper Navin Bidaisee then forged a valuable half-century partnership with Ronaldo Forrester which took the game away from Pres. Forrester made an unbeaten 78 with six sixes and five fours to lead the way, while Bedaisee cracked 37 and Windies U-19 batsman Kirstan Kallicharan 33 not out. Pres fast bowler Vanir Maharaj was the pick of the bowlers with 2/29, while off-spinner Jalen Agard who broke the partnership with Bedaisee and Forrester ended with 1/19.
When Presentation College went in to bat, their inexperience at this level showed, as they were shot out for 80. National youth player Tariq Mohammed was the only batsman to look comfortable as he scored 29. Jean Phillip-Barrie started the destruction and took 2/15. Also getting two wickets apiece were Bedaisee and Anderson Mahase.
Up to press time, the second quarter-final between Naparima College and Vishnu Boys was being played.
INTERCOL SCORES
At BLCA: Hillview 156/3 (20) (Renaldo Forrester 79no, Navin Bedaisee 37, Kirstan Kallicharan 33no, Vanir Maharaj 2/29, Jalen Agard 1/19) vs Presentation College 80 all out (14.3) (Tariq Mohammed 29, Jean Phillip-Barrie 2/15, Navin Bedaisee 2/11, Anderson Mahase 2/9) - Hillview won by 76 runs.