Guyanese batsmen dominate in Toronto

By Ravendra Madholall in Toronto

Several batsmen from Guyana dominated over the weekend in the continuation of the 2013 Toronto and District Cricket Association Elite and Premier League 50-over competition at King City ground.
Guyanese and former West Indies ODI batsman Royston Crandon stroked an impressive 76 to inspire Vikings Cricket Club to an exhilarating one-run win over Victoria Park Cricket Club.
The right-handed Crandon hit five fours and a maximum to see his team reach 225-7 in the penultimate over, replying to Victoria’s challenging 224-8 from 50 overs.
Former Guyana under-19 captain and left-arm orthodox spinner Eugene LaFleur captured three wickets for 59 runs from his 10 overs but it was in a losing cause.
When Victoria Park batted after winning the toss, LaFleur proved his all-round capability with a steady 39 while contributions came from his compatriots Dominic Rikhi and Anthony D’Andrade with 35 and 21 respectively.
At the same venue on Sunday, defending champion Brampton Master Tranzac Cricket Club humiliated Yorkshire Cricket Club by a handsome six-wicket margin. The losers were skittled out for a paltry 82 in 38.4 overs while Brampton galloped to 83-4 in the 18th over.
GNIC’s off-spinner Elton Baker snapped up a five wicket haul to lead Civics to an emphatic seven-wicket win over Toronto Cricket Club. Baker, in his first season in Canada, also completed a hat-trick as he conceded 28 runs from five overs.
When his team batted, they safely reached 136-3 with Travis Blyden hitting an unbeaten 41.
Meanwhile, in the Premier League division, Vincentian and former Windward Islands under-19 batsman Orlando Brown scored an entertaining 45 for Parkdale Cricket Club, defeating Ahmadiyya Sports Club by one run at King City. Brown hit three fours and two sixes as his team accumulated 133-3; he got useful support from the in-form Alphie Gould, who weighed in with 36.
Elsewhere, Caribbean Limers and Mississauga Ramblers Cricket Club were engaged in a tight tussle with the former emerging with another thrilling one-run win.
Trinidad off-spinner Vinood Persaud produced a fine performance to lead Caribbean Limers to a tense victory. He took four wickets to keep Ramblers to 160 after his side made 161 from 41.4 overs. Richard Harris top-scored with 30.
And in the Brampton/ Etobicoke 50-over first-division cricket competition, Guyanese and ex-West Indies opening batsman Ryan Ramdass once again was in supreme form, hitting another century to follow up his double-century a week ago.
Representing Brampton team, the stocky right-handed Ramdass fashioned a brilliant 113 while he got admirable support from former Trinidad and Tobago first-class cricketer Avidesh Samaroo who chipped in with 56.
When Britallan Sports Club batted, they were dismissed for 155 in the 39th over with only Shameer Adul putting up any sort of resistance with 37. Pacer Migel Seiwdas grabbed 4 for 35 runs.
Notably, several other scheduled games were abandoned due to rain on Saturday and Sunday.
The action is set to resume with a number of matches across the Greater Toronto Area, weather permitting.