Final Eight fireworks set up BEI-Essequibo Islands blockbuster in U-19 T20 playoffs

Some of the action at the Queen’s College ground in the Beharry under-19 tournament.

Berbice Educational Institute (BEI) and Essequibo Islands Secondary maintained their unbeaten runs on Thursday to set up a mouth-watering Qualifier 1 showdown in the Ministry of Education/Beharry Secondary Schools Under-19 T20 Tournament.

The two schools were among four teams advancing to the playoffs following an intense final round of Group A and B action, with Annandale Secondary and Covent Garden Secondary also booking their places.

BEI sent perhaps the strongest warning ahead of the knockout phase, demolishing St. Stanislaus College by a massive 202 runs at the QC Ground.

Luke Amsterdam and Lemuel Dejonge once again demonstrated why they are among the competition’s leading run-scorers, combining for two destructive half-centuries as BEI amassed 223-6.

Amsterdam was within touching distance of a century before departing for a blistering 92, an innings featuring seven fours and three sixes.

Dejonge was even more explosive, smashing 62 from just 29 balls with nine fours and three sixes, while Gilbert Griffith contributed 22.

If BEI’s batting was ruthless, their bowling response was equally destructive.

Griffith, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, returned 2-10, while Brandon Grimmond grabbed 2-2 and Nicquan Fraser collected 2-5 as St. Stanislaus crumbled to 20-7 and never recovered.

Essequibo Islands were similarly dominant at the Pomona Ground, handing Abram Zuil Secondary a 110-run defeat.

Justin Dowlin continued his rich vein of form with a commanding 85 from 55 deliveries, peppering the boundary nine times and clearing it on another four occasions.

Sudeeni Rodriguez supported him with 37 as Essequibo Islands reached 167-6 after being sent in to bat.

Otis Roberts was Abram Zuil’s best bowler with 3-41, while Naveed Fredericks collected two wickets.

However, their batting response fell apart, with Essequibo Islands dismissing them for 57 inside 13 overs. Roberts’ 11 was the only double-digit contribution.

Annandale Secondary also flexed their muscles ahead of the playoffs, cruising to a 101-run triumph over West Side High at the Cotton Tree Ground.

Ruel Dindyal produced a fine unbeaten 62 as Annandale reached 153-3 from their allotted 20 overs. Joshua Bollers struck 39 and Akeem Persaud added an unbeaten 34 to strengthen the total.

Dindyal then made his presence felt with the ball, taking 2-7, but it was Persaud and Kevin Singh who inflicted the heaviest damage with three wickets each.

Persaud finished with 3-6 and Singh 3-10 as West Side were dismissed for only 52 in 14.3 overs. Ricardo Danesar top-scored with 17.

Thursday’s closest encounter came at the QC Ground, where Covent Garden successfully chased 159 to defeat Queen’s College by seven wickets.

Afraz Ali had earlier given Queen’s College a solid platform with 57 from 51 balls, including eight fours. Yusuf Ally made 26 and Emilio Singh 17 as QC posted 158-5.

Covent Garden responded aggressively through Navindranauth Ram and Jamele Schultz. Ram struck 38 with three sixes and a four, while Schultz made 20 with three fours and a six.

However, Vinesh Kalpoo turned the chase firmly in Covent Garden’s favour with an explosive 58 from 31 balls. His innings featured six sixes and two fours.

Captain Orwin Jordan provided the calm presence at the other end, finishing unbeaten on 21 as Covent Garden got home at 161-3 in 19.3 overs. Nathaniel Sukhnandan claimed 2-27 for Queen’s College.

With the Final Eight group stage now completed, attention shifts to Sunday, August 16, when Annandale Secondary face Abram Zuil Secondary in Eliminator 1.

The headline contest, however, will see the tournament’s two unbeaten schools go head-to-head, as BEI and Essequibo Islands Secondary meet in Qualifier 1 with both teams seeking to maintain their perfect records and move another step closer to the championship.