Titans too strong for Hits and Jams Superstars

By Rajiv Bisnauth

Watched by a capacity crowd at the Albion Community Center ground, Eon Hooper played a mature innings to help guide Universal DVD Berbice Titans to a four-wicket win over the Hits and Jams Superstars in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
Playing in the feature 15/15 exhibition game in third annual Berbice Chambers of Commerce and Industry Inter-Agency cricket tournament, Hooper hit an unbeaten 15- ball 30 as his team reached 135 for 6 with three overs to spare, chasing 129 for victory. This was much to the delight of the crowd.
The game was reduced to 15 overs from its original 20 overs because of some difficulties with the lights and the late arrival of the Hits and Jams Superstars team.
On a slow track with variable bounce Gudakesh Motie-Kanahi claimed 3-30 while Keon Joseph, 2-15, captain Sewnarine Chattergoon, 2-15, and Hooper, 1-26, all bowled with discipline to restrict their opponents.
Chattergoon won the toss and invited the city team to bat first. National opener Shemroy Barrington opened the account with two consecutive boundaries off the innings’ first two deliveries from Joseph. Barrington’s opening partner Andrew Lyght Jr. failed to make an impact after being caught behind off the lively Michael Newland without scoring when the score was 14 in the second over.
That apart, Barrington unleashed a series of power hitting strokes, dispatching Newland for a straight, then smashed the next ball to the mid-wicket boundary before finishing the over with a classic extra cover drive that went for four.
Barrington also authoritatively hit Clinton Pestano for two sixes and a four in the fifth over before bringing up his 50 off a straight boundary off Motie-Kanahi.
His 50 came off 22 balls and included 6×4 and 3×6. The aggressive Barrington then had his woodwork shattered by Motie-Kanahi for 55 when the score was 60 at the end of the sixth over.
Orin Ford (6) and Elton Baker took the score to 81 before Ford was dismissed.
Hits and Jams Superstars then slipped to 126 for 9 in 14.3 overs, losing the wickets of Ellon Fernandes (2), Baker (25), Jeetendra Sookdeo (11), Troy Gonglaves (13), Kellon Carmichael (10) and Tyrell Tull (3).
In reply the hosts were off to a terrific start, scoring 28 runs off the first two overs. Former West Indies opening batsman Chattergoon greeted Carmichael with a six over point for six before the attacking Richard Ramdeen slammed two consecutive sixes off the fast medium pacer.
However, Ramdeen was too ambitious and was caught at cover by Sookdeo off Carmichael for 13 at 28 for 1.
The hosts then lost the experienced Chattergoon for 22 (2×4,1×6) at 49 for 2 and Anthony Bramble for 13 (57 for 3).
After that Delbert Hicks (10) and Rajiv Ivan (16) thrashed Baker for 27 runs in the seventh over before both were dismissed in quick succession at 82 for 5. It was soon 82 for 6 when Pestano was bowled by Carmichael without troubling the scorers.
Hooper and Jonathan Foo (16*) carried the hosts to victory without further trouble with Hooper and his dominant hitting, picking up two sixes and two fours in the process.
Seon Daniels, Baker, Carmichael, Sookdeo and Beaton all picked up a wicket apiece.
Shemroy Barrington was voted best batsman of the final while Gudakesh Motie-Kanahi claimed the best bowler award in the final.
Eon Hooper was adjudged man of the match in the final.