NSSCL: Lower Corentyne, West Demerara clash on Friday

The Inter-school phase of the Guyana Cricket Board/Demerara Mutual Life Assurance Society/ Ministry Of Education/National Secondary Cricket School League, enters its final stage on Friday (March 24), when district champions, Lower Corentyne Secondary and West Demerara Secondary, clash in the league finals at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda, from 09:30h.

Both teams are upbeat about their chances, having played superbly so far in the league. West Demerara Secondary defeated Anna Regina Secondary in the first national semi-finals, while Lower Corentyne won the second national semi-finals by creating this year’s biggest tournament upset, dethroning last year’s National Secondary Schools League champions, Chase Academy.

Friday’s final promises to be an exciting affair, with some of the country’s best school age players showcasing their talents, in an effort to lift the championship trophy and to gain the attention of association, county and national selectors, as the more advanced Under-17 matches get set to commence.

Further, at the Albion Community Centre ground, players in the GCB/DMLAS/MOE/NSSCL, continued to impress as Lower Corentyne Combined Team defeated New Amsterdam/Canje Combined by 24 runs.

The 50-over match saw Corentyne posting a modest 160 all out, off their allotted 50 overs. Talented opening batsman Junior Sinclair gathered a solid 41 and Nathanel Ragoo 25, while junior batting sensation Kelvon Anderson managed only 21.

Bowling for New Amsterdam/Canje Combined, Alex Algoo grabbed 2-19 off six overs; Garfield Benjamin 2-23 off six overs and Marvin Singh 2-33 off eight overs. In reply, New Amsterdam/Canje appeared set to surpass the seemingly small total posted by Corentyne Combined, with Swammy stroking a well composed 46 and Aaron Ramsammy an unruffled 31.  

However, the miserly and penetrative bowling of Nathanel Ragoo 2-9 off five overs, Kelvin Umroa 3-21 from seven overs and Renaldo Williams 3-21 from six overs, gave unsurmountable resistance to the New Amsterdam batsmen.

New Amsterdam/Canje Combined folded for 136 off 38.1 overs. Lower Corentyne Combined will now face the West Berbice Combined side in the GCB/DMLAS/MOE/NSSCL Berbice final.