By Dr. David Ramsingh
MIAMI – The semi-finals of the South Florida Cricket Alliance Keith Graham Memorial Classic got under way this weekend with Jamaica vs. Guyana at the Opa-Locka Airport Field. The game started with Guyana winning the toss and electing to bat. Swift bowling by pacers Linford Williams and Glen Anglin sent the first four batsmen back into the pavilion for a mere 20 runs. Batsman Masood Mohammed pitched in with an unbeaten 37 runs before Renardo Francis, a very promising off spinner for Jamaica, finished off the tail end of the Guyana innings. Guyana was all out for a total of 95 runs in only 24 overs. Batting for Guyana; Masood Mohammed made 37 not out – Bowling for Jamaica; Linford Williams, 3 wickets for 29 Runs, Glen Anglin, 2 wickets for 22 Runs, Renardo Francis, 3 wickets for 22 runs.
Jamaica opened its innings with Shaun Riley and Shane Ford. Riley started off very strong but fell to the ever tight bowling of Fizal Sherif for only 12 runs. Valentino Ventura came in to join Shane Ford who played positive cricket turning the ball around every corner of the field and reached 96 runs in just 19.1 overs. Batting for Jamaica; Shaun Riley made 12 runs, Shane Ford made 46 not out, Valentino Ventura made 18 not out. Bowling for Guyana, Fizal Sherif, 1 wicket for 8 runs
The second semi-final, Barbados vs. India, was played at the Lauderhill Sports Park. The toss was won by India who elected to put the Bajans in to take first strike. Barbados got off to a great start with Kenny Smith and Carl Ifill followed by John Willoughby who has been consistent in getting big scores. Charles “Tony” Reid, one of the local south Florida boys playing with The United States Cricket Team, came in and smashed the ball around for a breezy 21 runs before he got out. Then came Raymond Denny, touted by some as the best Wicket Keeper in South Florida, and one who has represented the United States Internationally. Denny made 19 runs before the Bajan innings came to an end – all out for 254 runs. Bowling for India, Rejesh Thadani, 6 wickets for 45 runs, Karun Jethai 2 wickets for 30 runs.
Batting for Barbados; Carl Ifil made 85 runs, Kenny Smith made 24 runs, John Willoughby made 46 runs, Charles Tony Reid, made 21 runs, Raymond Denny, made 19 runs. Bowling for India, Rajesh Rolly Thadani, 6 wickets for 45 runs, Karun Jethai, 2 wickets for 30 runs. India’s response came with a flying start from Mandeep Dhillon, a centurion and one of the most prolific players in the tournament. However, he did not do well with the bat and fell for 27 runs. Imported Indian players from Canada including the likes of Ahmed Panchbhaya, who looked well settled at the crease, and did his best to get 56 runs. Manish Mantrawadi gave one of his best performances of the tournament with 25 runs and Girish Kamtey pitched in with 33 runs.
