Merry Boys earn narrow win over Parkites

The defending champions Parkites decided to bat first after winning the toss. However, they never got their innings going as they were bowled out for 172 in 43.2 overs with present and past TT Red Force left-handed batsmen Darren Bravo, Yannic Cariah and Justin Guillen offering any resistance to the Merry Boys attack.

Bravo made 52 off 68 balls with four boundaries and a six while Cariah contributed 35 (52 balls, three fours) and Guillen 31 (40 balls, three fours). Ex-national all-rounder Aneil Kanhai got three wickets for 26 runs for the visitors while Amir Khan had 3/38 and left-arm spinner Ricky Jaipaul 2/21.

Merry Boys struggled in their run chase but they reached 173/8 in 37.2 overs with Aaron Alfred hitting 39 (44 balls, seven fours), Mario Belcon 36 (52 balls, two fours and a six) and Ranga Lachana 21. Marlon Barclay was the main destroyer for the Parkites with 4/27.

Central Sports hammered Tableland Sports by 134 runs in a match reduced to 40-overs-perside, due to inclement weather, at the Invaders Ground in Felicity.

Jahron Alfred lashed 110 while veteran Shazam Babwah had 52 and Alex Antoine 42 as Central Sports amassed 319/8 in their allotted overs.

Tableland were never in the hunt as they were bowled out for 185 in 33.3 overs with Rakesh Maharaj taking 3/19, Kissoondath Magram 3/30 and Stephen Shadick 2/26.

PowerGen cruised to a six-wicket victory over Alescon Comets at Pierre Road, Charlieville.

Comets, who chose to bat after winning the toss, were restricted to 155 in 49.1 overs with leftarm spinner Kavesh Kantasingh and off-spinner Ansil Bhaggan returning identical figures of 3/23, while Vedesh Sookhai had 2/38. Bryan Charles and K Singh each notched 33 for the hosts.

Sookhai returned with the bat to score an unbeaten 63 (122 deliveries, three fours and two sixes) while Ewart Nicholson chipped in with a breezy 39 (37 deliveries, five sixes) as Power- Gen responded with 158/4 with 10.4 overs remaining. Emile Rajah took 2/36 for Comets.

And, at Wilson Road in Penal, hosts First Citizens Clarke Road registered a narrow three-wicket win over Victoria Sports.

The visitors chose to bat after winning the toss, a decision they would later regret as they were bundled out for 148 in 46.3 overs. Former Windward Islands batsman Keddy Lesporis topscored with 65 (95 balls, seven fours) while Marcelle Jones made 22 and Savion Lara 20. Kerwyn Sirju got 3/22 for Clarke Road while ex-Red Force skipper Yannick Ottley had 2/17 and Ahkeel Mollon 2/21.

Veteran Gregory Mahabir made a painstaking 55 off 102 balls with three fours while Kerry Holness had 20 as Clarke Road responded with 151/7 in 47.4 overs. Ex-Windwards and WI left-arm spinner Garey Mathurin and former TT leg-spinner Sanjiv Gooljar each claimed 2/22 for Victoria.