Toco topple champs Barrackpore

IN A MAJOR upset, Toco Composite yesterday toppled defending schoolboy’s cricket champs Barrackpore Secondary Comprehen-sive school to move into the semi-finals of the PowerGen Secondary Schools Cricket League InterCol championships. The match was played at Pierre Road recreation ground. Barrackpore’s hope of doing the double were dashed by the Ivan O’Garro-coached Toco team which completely overshadowed the star-studded southerners.

The boys from the northern fishing village were just too good for Barrackpore, which were shut out for a paltry 65 runs off 22.4 overs after having won the toss and choosing to bat first. Christian Charles and Jewan Ramroop created havoc by scalping three wickets each. Only twelve-year-old Adesh Deonarine managed to get into double figures with 12 runs while Joe Hanooman and Shirvan Sankar each hitting nine runs each. Charles finished with impressive figures of 6-1-15-3 and was involved in two run outs while Ramroop’s figures were an enviable 6-1-27-3.

Nineteen-year-old Devon Nelson and Charles slammed one six and five fours in their enterprising knocks which had the southerners at their wits end to stem the flow of runs. They raced to victory in a meagre 9.4 overs as their team finished with 68 for the loss of two wickets. It was the swiftest and most comprehensive victory achieved this season. National under 19 player and captain Jason Mohammed was among those cooling their heels in the pavilion, having been bowled by medium pacer Charles for a duck. Toco lad Nelson topscored with 33, while Charles was unbeaten on 29, having blasted West Indies youth player Rishi Bachan for a six. They posted 52 runs for the first wicket.