Couva Sports, Merry Boys win in Fruta

TRANSBROKERAGE Couva Sports and Ceramic MerryBoys won their respective matches in the Fruta Cricket Festival, played at the Ato Boldon Stadium, Couva on Thursday night.

Attractive half-centuries from Guyanese opener Andrew Gonsalves (53) and ex-Trinidad and Tobago allrounder Richard Sieuchan (53 not out) helped Couva Sports whip Division Two rivals Low Cost Munroe Road by 45 runs. Couva Sports, who topped Division Two and gained promotion to NCL Division One for the 2004 season, raced to 148 for two wickets off their allotted 15 overs. The hard-hitting Gonsalves slammed five sixes and three fours in his knock, while Sieuchan was equally devastating, hammering four sixes and two fours. Munroe Road could only muster 103 for six wickets off their 15 overs. Daniel Bridgelal (35) and Anil Barlo (18) were the only batsmen to make an impression.

Sieuchan was named Man of the Match. National middle-order batsman Lincoln Roberts also showed his all-round skills to take the Man of the Match award in the other match. He smashed four sixes and three fours in an undefeated 57 and then captured three wickets for 11 runs to lift double-crowned NCL Division One champions Merry Boys to a convincing 22-run victory over FCB Clarke Road United. MerryBoys rattled up 144 for four wickets off their 15 overs with guest player Riyad Emrit scoring a quick-fire 32 which included two sixes and two fours, while Aneil Kanhai got 21 and Lendl Simmons 14. Sherwin Ganga stroked four fours as the top-scorer for Clarke Road United with a dashing 55. Robert Mahabir chipped in with 31 while Gregory Mahabir got 16 as Clarke Road were restricted to 122 for six wickets.