Sirju (196) keeps ‘Pres’ on top

MANOJ SIRJU underlined his talent when he produced the best all-round performance of the year, and in the history of the PowerGen Secondary Schools Cricket League competition. In the “Clash of the Presentation Colleges”  the left-handed strokeplayer hammered 196 runs against Presentation, San Fernando in their South-Central Zone fourth round match at Union Hall (Sando) on Tuesday. Sirju hit the most sixes in an innings (16) in addition to 13 fours to register the best score ever in the PowerGen-sponsored Secondary Schools Championship Division. And to crown the  individual performance, his off-spinners brought forth rich dividends of seven wickets for 42 runs in the second innings.

He was also associated in a record breaking 248-run second wicket partnership with 14-year-old Adrian Barath who was undefeated on 42 when he declared the innings closed at 246 for two wickets. His sixes-hitting bonanza was a major cause for concern and it deprived his team of having enough time to register a comprehensive victory as on almost every occasion the ball sailed into the nearby bushes and warranted a small battalion of searchers to relocate the red cherry. His team lost more than 30 minutes which prevented the defending champions of a valuable five minutes or an over in their second innings at the end to get the required seven runs for an outright victory.

Spinners Kavesh Kantasingh (four for 20 and two for 43) and Ansil Bhaggan (six for 75) carried their overall season’s haul to 28 and 26 wickets respectively. Presentation San Fernando recorded scores of 106 and 153 while “Pres” Chaguanas replied with 246 for two declared. In the North-East clash between Toco Composite and Hillview College, Toco’s Devon Nelson maintained his prolific form with another brilliant century. He raced to an unbeaten 109 which is his third triple-figure mark for this season. He had scores of 104 against St Mary’s (first round) and 104 (third round) against seven-time north-East Zonal champions Tranquillity last Friday at Rampalnagas, Balandra. Nelson hammered two sixes and 11 fours and together with Akiel Timothy (52 n o), shared in an unbroken 162-run third wicket partnership which carried Toco Composite to 202 for two declared. Hillview made 110 and were 135 for four wickets when play ended.

Summarised PowerGen SSCL Scores
SOUTH-CENTRAL
At Union Hall (Sando): PRESENTATION COLLEGE (San Fernando) 106 (Reyaz Ali Khan 55; Ansil Bhaggan 6 for 75, Kavesh Kantasingh 4 for 20) and 153 (Clint Legall 40, Kareem Jumadeen 38; Monoj Sirju 7 for 42) v PRESENTATION COLLEGE (Chaguanas) 246 for two declared (Manoj Sirju 196, Adrian Bharath 42 n o).
RESULT:  Presentation-Chaguanas lead on first innings
At Woodford Lodge: ASJA Charlieville 157 and  74 for 3 (Josiah Jagmohan 71, Adrian Ali 36, Deron Mailard 2 for 40, Harvey Rampersad 3 for 32) vs UCB 114 (Deron Mailard 25, Dilip Basdeo 60, Adrian Ramdhanie 4 for 26, Kashtrie Singh 4 for 41).
RESULT: ASJA lead on first innings
At Barrackpore: PLEASANTVILLE SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE 102 & 25 for 2 (Kenrick Marshall 22, Christopher Persad 27, Gary Nandlal 2 for 9, Jason Mohammed 5 for 34) v BARRACKPORE SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE 204 for 5 declared (Kareem
Mohammed 72, Anderson Beharry 33, Azarrudin Mohammed 34 n o).
RESULT: Barrackpore lead on first innings
At Princes Town: PRINCES TOWN SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE 166 & 151 for 4 (Mark Gangapersad 42, Kerwin Lalchan 32, Jason Samuel 33, Justin Ballack 5 for 32) vs Naparima College 151 (Javed Mohammed 65, Christopher Siewsankar 22).
RESULT: Princes Town lead on first innings
NORTH-EAST ZONE
At Westmoorings: ST ANTHONY’S 136 (Justin Thompson 31, Reyaz Panchoo 22, Keron Joseph 3 for 26, Mark Alexander 3 for 32) vs TRANQUILLITY SECONDARY 66 (Keron Malchan 22, Ronald Regis 6 for 19). Result: St Anthony’s lead on first innings
At Honeymoon Park: HILLVIEW COLLEGE 110 & 135 for 4 (Vashish Sooknanan 32, Petruile Yuile 22, Akeem Alvarez 50 n o., Kelon Rampersad 32 n o., Akiel Timothy 6 for 30 & 2 for 22, Clayton Wallace 2 for 25) vs TOCO COMPOSITE 202 for 2 dec. (Devon Nelson 109 n.o., Akiel Timothy 52 n o).
RESULT: Toco lead on first innings
At El Dorado: ST MARY’S COLLEGE 166 & 101 for 2 (Luke Balwant 36, Stefon Scott 35, Jonathan Cabralis 51, Videsh Ramdass 4 for 42) vs EL DORADO SENIOR COMPREHENSIVE 107 (D. Alfred 40, Stefon Scott 4 for 24, Valmiki Maharaj 2 for 9).
RESULT: St Mary’s lead on first innings
At Fatima: QRC 125 & 19 for 0 (Kjorn Ottley 25, Jarod Placid 25, Adrian Hall 26, Stefan Williams 2 for 9, Darren Bravo 2 for 22, Milton Dookran 4 for 31) vs FATIMA COLLEGE 131 for 7 dec (Darren Bravo 54, Harvey Roopchand 31 n.o., Adrian Hall 2 for 30, Kjorn Ottley 2 for 21).
Result:  Fatima lead on first innings
Points Standings after four rounds:
SOUTH-CENTRAL: Presentation College, Chaguanas 79, Barrackpore Secondary Comprehensive 53, Princes Town Senior Comprehensive 51, Naparima 43, ASJA 30, Presentation College San F’do 25, UCB 24, Pleasantville Senior Comprehensive 21.
NORTH-EAST: El Dorado Secondary 73, Toco Composite 53, Fatima College 40, QRC 31, St Mary’s College 31, Hillview College 30, St Anthony’s College 30, Tranquillity Secondary 15.