Carib Sunday League Final - Saturday 15th March

Merry Boys triumphed against Wanderers
 
NAZ YACOOB

CERAMIC Merry Boys Sports registered their second lien on the prestigious Carib Beer Sunday League title when they defeated arch-rivals W Connection Wanderers in the day/night final on Saturday at Guaracara Park, Pointe-a-Pierre.

Winners in 2006, the Diego-Martin-based team trounced their opponents by 27 runs in a closely contested encounter before a large crowd in the "Oil Refinery". Merry Boys led by half-centuries from Mario Belcon, Samuel Felix and Aneil Kanhai tallied a competitive 268 from the allotted 50 overs.

Wanderers in reply were dismissed for 241 in 49.3 overs.

Opting for first strike on a placid pitch, Merry Boys were given a flyer by openers  Belcon and  Felix.

The pair posted 121 for the first wicket partnership before they were separated, when the former was bowled by former T&T middle-order batsman Rajendra Mangallie for a well played 60, which was scored of 87 balls with three fours.

Shortly after, Felix was trapped in front to Mangallie for a well compiled 64 off 100 balls with three fours.

Former T&T and West Indies middle-order batsman Lincoln Roberts (1) did not last long, but skipper and "Man of the Match".  Kanhai sustained the pressure on the Wanderers' bowling attack with a polished 50 off 44 balls, laced with four fours.

In their victory chase for the coveted Carib Beer Trophy and $55,000, Wanderers stumbled to 72 for five after 22 overs, but the evergreen Narine Bidhesi and former T&T youth batsman Sanjeev Maharaj featured in an enterprising sixth wicket partnership of 93 which lifted the hopes of the Central team.

But once they were separated, the writing was on the wall.

Bidhesi struck a solid 60 from 68 deliveries with five fours and a six, and Maharaj plagued by a leg injury scored 39 with four fours from 51 balls.

Towards the end, Navin Stewart hit a blistering 40 off 25 balls, but it was little too late.
Kyron Lynch (2-40), Neil McGarrell (2-31) and Dominic Choy (2-38) were the top bowlers for Merry Boys.

McGarrell copped the "Best Bowler" award, while the pint-sized Bidhesi emerged as the leading batsman.

Young Franklyn Rouse was named as the "Best Fieldsman".
 
SCOREBOARD

At Guaracara Park
W Connection Wanderers v Ceramic Merry Boys Sports
Merry Boys Inns
M Belcon b Mangallie*60
S Felix lbw Mangallie*64
L Roberts c Pamphille b Cuffy*1
A Kanhai c Bidhesi  b Alert*50
K Thompson c Bidhesi b Gooljar*8
D Choy c Alert b Ramjass*4
N McGarell not out*40
K Hazel not out*26
Extras (1b, 3lb, 10w, 1nb)*15
TOTAL (for 6 wkts - 50 overs)*268
Wkts: 121, 122, 140, 170, 191, 214.
Bowling: Atiba Alert 7-1-33-1, Navin Stewart 5-0-31-0, Rajendra Mangallie 10-0-46-2, Nicholas Ramjass 10-1-41-1, Sanjiv Goojar 10-0-55-1, Sanjeev Maharaj 3-0-19-0, Avalon Cuffy 5-0-39-1.
Wanderers Inns
C Halls c Kanhai b Lynch *21
K Jumadeen c Rouse b Lynch*15
R Mangallie lbw Mangallie*6
N Ramjass b Hazel*14
N Bidhesi c Regis b Choy*60
J Pamphille run out*1
S Maharaj c Hazel b Choy*39
N Stewart run out*40
S Gooljar stp Felix b Thompson*11
A Cuffy stp Felix b McGarrell*17
A Alert not out*4
Extras (3lb, 10w)*13
TOTAL (all out -49-3 overs)*241
Wkts: 32, 42, 62, 65, 72, 165, 169, 192, 230, 241.
Bowling: Kyron Lynch 10-0-40-2, Neil McGarrell 8.3-0-31-2, Ken Hazel 10-4-34-1, Aneil Kanhai 7-0-31-0, Kenton Thompson 8-0-64-1, Dominic Choy 6-0-38-2.
Result: Merry Boys won by 27 runs.
Best Batsman -  Narine Bidhesi.
Best Bowler - Neil McGarrell
Best Fieldsman - Franklyn Rouse
Man of Match - Aneil Kanhai.