By Avenash Ramzan
Hard-hitting youth cricketer Shamar Apple continued his meteoric rise in the sport, slamming a belligerent century to highlight the opening weekend of the Georgetown Cricket Association’s City Cricket Cup and Friends Mayor’s Under-17 Hundred Overs competition.
Playing for home side Transport Sports Club against Everest Cricket Club, the national Under-15 batsman smashed an entertaining 151 to lead his side to a massive win.
The left-hander muscled 13 sixes and eight fours in a memorable knock, bringing up his century with a maximum. His onslaught on the hapless Everest bowlers allowed Transport to pile up a massive 351 all out from 54 overs.
Demerara Under-15 captain Brandon Henry scored a responsible 55 (3x4s), skillfully rotating the strike, while Emmanuel Lewis stroked five fours and a six in 38 and Reyaz Latif chipped in with 37 (3x4s).
Brandon Browne (3-21) and Jamal Hill (3-53) were the top wicket-takers for Everest, who were dismissed for 68 in 25.2 overs in reply.
Leg-spinner Latif crowned an exceptional all-round performance, claiming 5-2 from 3.2 overs, two of which were maidens. Henry supported with 2-11 and Andy Ramgoolam 2-16.
Over at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, skipper Gavin Kisten put on an excellent all-round show to lead Positive Foundation Agricola to an 85-run win over GCC.
Batting first, Positive Foundation Agricola found themselves in early trouble, losing their first six wickets cheaply before Kisten and Micah Amsterdam led a recovery effort that took them to 176 from 37 overs.
Kisten led the batting effort with an unbeaten 80 from 131 balls (3x4s), while Amsterdam made 30 off 17 (1×4, 3x6s).
Bowling for GCC, Nathaniel Sukhnandan took 2-12 (6), Ravindra Singh 2-17 (5) and Danvir Seegobin 2-22 (6).
GCC, in reply, were dismissed for 91 from 30.2 overs with national Under-15 all-rounder Ravaldo Pereira topscoring with 31 off 61 (3x4s) and Trilok Nanan making 18 off 41 (3x4s).
Kisten picked up 4-2 from 5.2 overs, three of which were maidens, while Amsterdam took 2-11 (5).
At the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, the home side and the Malteenoes Sports Club played to a draw.
DCC posted 217 all out from 50.2 overs with Demerara Under-15 batsman Nathan Bishop making 59 off 76 (5x4s, 3x6s), Jonathan Mentore 52 off 78 (2x4s), opener Lomar Seecharran 36 off 75 (4x4s) and Yeshua Hutson 27 off 35 (1×4).
Bowling for Malteenoes, Joshua Bollers took 2-30 off 8.2 overs and Renaldo Harris 2-44 (9).
Malteenoes then closed on 160-5 from 46 overs, with Nicholas Lovell leading the way with an unbeaten 62 off 109 balls (10x4s) and Bollers making 49 off 78 (4x4s).
Bowling for DCC, spinner Mickel Sharma took 2-31 off nine overs.
Tournament rule
Based on the format of the tournament, the team batting first has a maximum of 55 overs at their disposal. Once they bat those 55 overs, the second team will have a maximum of 45 overs to bat.
If the first team is dismissed before 55 overs- let assume 30 overs- the second team will 45 overs plus the 25 overs the first team did not utilize.
