Trinidad: Preysal take out insurance (16 Apr 1998)

16 April 1998

Preysal take out insurance

By GARTH WATTLEY

IT is still about a week away. But the cricketers of Clico Preysal Sports Club may already be having visions of the twinkling lights of Guaracara Park and the Mt d'or limited overs final.

Certainly, they will take to the field today believers. For yesterday at the Queen's Park Oval against Santa Cruz Sports, big Randy Bachan blasted them halfway to that goal.

Having seen Sheriff Mohammed lay the foundation with a fine 52, he and Shazam Babwah launched a severe late-innings assault on the Santa Cruz bowlers with an unbroken fifth wicket stand of 109 in just 11 overs. Preysal ended their 30 overs on 210 for 4.

That attack, that shellacking, has put their side in pole position to advance to the final.

Clarke Road United will also feel they have already done enough to earn a trip to Guaracara.

Batting first against Caroni Wanderers in the other semifinal down at Gilbert Park, the Penal team did even better, amassing 231 for 8, with former Guyana batsman Paul Persad cracking 122 not out.

But it is doubtful that even that innings could, in terms of sheer violence, match Rocking Randy's 29-ball 55.

Burly Bachan's reputation preceded him, the left-hander having in the past rained boundaries on sundry opponents in the service of the National Under-19 team and Preysal.

But even with the forewarning, Santa Cruz skipper Lincoln Roberts was powerless to stop the onslaught.

When Bachan replaced Mohammed at 101 for 4 in the 19th over, Roberts would have been fairly satisfied with his decision to put Preysal in after winning the toss.

After four overs, opening bowler Clint Yorke had got rid of Andy Jackson and Armanath Basdeo, the former to a tumbling Kenneth Hazel catch at cover point.

But Mohammed was in no way inhibited by the early loss of wickets. Driving sweetly on both sides of the wicket-he played one really handsome off-drive off Dale Douglas-he added 76 with Wazzard Ali. After Ali was caught by wicketkeeper Kendall Joseph off Norvan Ashby, the sheriff found another good deputy in Babwah, with whom he added 45 before holing out to long-off in Barry Nicholas's first over.

Hazel, the tidy left-arm spinner, had helped peg back the early Preysal progress. But he was off the scene when Bachan got going.

The run-hungry youngster took a particular liking to Nicholas's innocent-looking off-spinners. He devoured him, slamming Nicholas beyond the boundary three times. In one over, he and Babwah combined for 21 runs, taking a six each.

No blow, however, perhaps none all season, was bigger than the whack that went up and away before thunking down onto the roof of the Jeffrey Stollmeyer Stand.

Bachan also belted Douglas over the long-off fence to reach his hurricane half-century.

By the time he and Babwah (46, 49 balls, four fours, two sixes), came off the ground, 105 had been added in the final 10 overs.

The applauding Preysal fans were beginning to think about next week, certain they have all the insurance they need.

But Theodore Guerra, Santa Cruz backer, was warning them. "We getting those runs!"

If his side is to prove him right, if Cruz are to liquidate this Clico account, the unprotected may well have to run for cover from the coming northern storm.

Source :: The Trinidad Express (https://www.trinidad.net/express/)