Clarke Road United now sit atop the Premiership I 50 Over standings after sealing a stern 162-run victory over Queen’s Park Cricket Club II (QPCC II) on Sunday, when round four action bowled off at Wilson Road Recreation Ground in Penal.
Half centuries from opener Vikash Mohan (68), Joshua Persaud (65) and Clevon Kalawan (58 not out) propelled the home team to 332/7 after 44 overs. The target proved beyond QPCC II as they whittled away for 170 from 37.3 overs.
Batting first, Clarke Road lost opener Nicholas Sookdeosingh (12) with the score on 35. Incoming batsman Persaud joined Mohan and the pair constructed a strong 125-run partnership to carry them to 160 before Persaud was run out by Rickash Boodram.
Persaud’s knock of 65 came from 56 balls and entailed six fours and two sixes.
[caption id="attachment_1011248" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Powergen Penal SC wicketkeeper Daniel Williams celebrates the wicket of Preysal SC batsman Te-Shawn Alleyne at Inshan Ali Park, Preysal on Sunday. - Lincoln Holder[/caption]
Two runs later, Mohan perished after facing 81 balls and smashing seven fours and one six. New batsmen Joshua James (32) and Yannick Ottley (19) calmed things down a bit as they added 46 more runs to the score before another wicket fell.
This time, James played into the hands of Boodram off Nikhil Narayansingh. Dejourn Charles also had a good knock, scoring 35, from 16 balls (four fours, two sixes). Charles and Ottley took Clarke Road to 255/6.
When the former was caught out by Philton Williams, Kalawan entered and showed no mercy. He blasted an unbeaten 58 from 26 balls, lofting six sixes and hitting three fours.
Namir Suepaul (3/50) was QPCC II’s best bowler while Narayansingh (2/66) was also among the wickers.
In their turn at the crease, the Parkites had a good start as their openers Jason Batson (38) and Jeremiah Cruickshank (36) guided them to 71 for the first wicket.
But they lost their way after that dismissal. Shazad Mohammed (15) and Eric Garcia (13) didn’t last too long. Jeremy Araujo, Suepaul and Boodram were dismissed without scoring. Chadeon Raymond (51) rallied by himself as Williams (six) and Ravi Kadoo (two) also fell cheaply.
Justyn Gangoo was chief destroyer with the ball as the picked up 5/44, Mohan 3/34 and Kerwyn Sirju 2/24.
The victory for Clarke Road saw them remain unbeaten after four matches and get the edge on QPCC’s first team.
At the Queen’s Park Oval in St Clair, Central Sports ended QPCC I’s three-match winning streak as they grabbed an eight-wicket victory.
QPCC were rattled at home as the experience of Mark Deyal (3/24), Imran Khan (2/4), Marlon Richards (2/14) and Terrance Hinds (2/35) saw them stumble to 136 all out from 40.5 overs.
An in-form Bryan Charles (39 not out) was their best batsman with Amir Jangoo chipping in with 35. Four batsmen went scoreless.
Set at 137 for victory, openers Kamil Pooran (47) and Kjorn Ottley (44 not out) did most of t
