Parkites move in on Carib NCL cricket title

QUEEN’S PARK have taken first innings points off Tile It Central Sports to move into a challenging position for the Carib National Cricket League title. But FCB Clarke Road United continue to hold pole position with one more round left in this year’s series, after narrowly taking first innings points from  CLICO Preysal on Sunday. To date, Clarke Road have totalled 98 points, 15 ahead of the Parkites who have 83 with Central Sports one point further back. Preysal scored 223 at their Inshan Ali Park home ground in their first innings with national middle-order batsman Shazam Babwah getting 58 and Alvarado Bryce 50.

Then Clarke Road struggled to 236 with teenage opening batsman Tishan Maraj getting 20 and Gregory Mahabir 53, as veteran Eugene Antoine snared four wickets for 43 runs and Kwesi Roy, two for 51. Now Clarke Road must at least avoid being beaten outright if they are to wrest the title. The Parkites after posting a first innings 252 for nine wickets declared with Petrock Nicholas scoring a brilliant 78, saw Central Sports reach within 26 runs of their total with Guyanese allrounder Lennox Cushe leading the way with 61. Axed West Indies fastbowler Mervyn Dillon took three wickets for 38, Daren Deonarine scalped four for 17 and Shakeel Ali collected two for 25. Batting a second time, Queen’s Park rattled up 108 for two wickets declared with Trinidad and Tobago batsman Earnil Ryan getting an unbeaten 50.

Summarised scores:
ALESCON COMET 251 and 97 for 5 — Daren Ganga 67, Imran Khan 37, Rajendra Mangalie 59 not out, Junior Sadhoo 37, Samuel Badree 3/53, Dave Mohamnmed 2/62, Brent Harriot 3/41 vs POWERGEN 150 and 44 for six — S Badree 57 not out, Dinanath Ramnarine 5/51 and 3/13, Steve Rudal 3/44 and 2/6.  Match drawn.
QUEEN’S PARK 252 for nine declared and 108 for two declared — P Nicholas, 78, Rishard Harris 34, E Ryan 50 not out, Samuel Felix 25, Rodney Sooklal 3/61, Kieron Lynch 2/36, L Cushe 2/40, Davindra Krishna 2/62 vs TILE IT CENTRAL SPORTS 226 — L Cushe 61, Derwin Christian 32, Dion Bennette 31, D Deonarine 4/17, M Dillon 3/38, S Ali 2/25.  Match drawn.
CLICO PREYSAL 223 and 150/4 — S Babwah 58 and 57 not out, A Bryce 50 and 32, Hollister Pajotte 34 not out, Mukesh Persad 4/57, Kenton Thompson 3/54 vs FCB CLARKE ROAD UTD 236 — T Maraj 60, G Mahabir 53, E Antoine 4/43, K Roy 2/51.  Match drawn.
TRANSBROKERAGE COUVA SPORTS 289 and 70 for four — Robert Mahabir 70, Azad Mohammed 50, Jaggernath Ramnanan 33, Deonarine De yal 50 not out, Ryan Best 3/42, Richard Kelly 2/44, Rajindra Dhanraj 2/54 vs CXERAMIC MERRY BOYS 228 — Mario Belcon 62, Denis Rampersad 39, Vinoo Ramdhanie5/51, Ryan Siewchand 2/62. Match drawn.
Current points standings: FCB CLARKE RD UTD 98; QUEEN’S PARK 83; TILE IT CENTRAL SPORTS 82; CERAMIC MERRY BOYS 74; CLICO PREYSAL 67; ALESCON COMET 63; POWERGEN 61; TRANSBROKERAGE COUVA SPORTS 53.