Essequibo Islands Secondary, Annandale Secondary, Covent Garden Secondary and Berbice Educational Institute recorded victories as the final eight group stage of the Ministry of Education/Beharry Secondary Schools Under-19 T20 Tournament continued.
The latest round featured several commanding performances, including half-centuries from Justin Dowlin, Ruel Dindyal, Luke Amsterdam, Lemuel Dejonge and Vinesh Kalpoo.
At the Pomona Ground, Essequibo Islands defeated Abram Zuil Secondary by 110 runs after posting 167 for six. Opener Dowlin continued his impressive form with 85 from 55 balls, striking nine fours and four sixes. Sudeeni Rodriguez supported him with 37.
Abram Zuil captain Otis Roberts claimed three wickets for 41 runs, while Naveed Fredericks collected two wickets. However, their team struggled during the chase and was dismissed for 57 in the 13th over. Roberts, with 11, was the only batter to reach double figures.
At the Queen’s College Ground, Covent Garden completed a seven-wicket victory over Queen’s College. Queen’s College made 158 for five after batting first, led by opener Afraz Ali’s 57 from 51 balls, which included eight fours. Yusuf Ally contributed 26, while Emilio Singh added 17.
Five Covent Garden bowlers took one wicket each before their batters successfully chased the target. Kalpoo led the response with an aggressive 58 from 31 balls, hitting six sixes and two fours.
Navindranauth Ram struck a brisk 38, including three sixes and one four, while Jamele Schultz made 20 with three fours and a six. Captain Orwin Jordan played the supporting role with an unbeaten 21 from 42 balls as Covent Garden reached 161 for three in 19.3 overs. Nathaniel Sukhnandan was Queen’s College’s leading bowler with two for 27.
Annandale also delivered a strong performance at the Cotton Tree Ground, beating West Side High by 101 runs. Annandale reached 153 for three from its 20 overs, with Dindyal scoring an unbeaten 62. Joshua Bollers made 39, while Akeem Persaud finished undefeated on 34.
Persaud then claimed three wickets for six runs, while Kevin Singh collected three for 10 and Dindyal took two for seven. Their efforts helped dismiss West Side High for 52 in 14.3 overs. Ricardo Danesar top-scored with 17.
The largest victory of the round came at the Queen’s College Ground, where Berbice Educational Institute defeated St. Stanislaus College by 202 runs.
Two of the tournament’s leading run-scorers, Amsterdam and Dejonge, produced powerful half-centuries as BEI amassed 223 for six. Amsterdam narrowly missed a century with 92, which included seven fours and three sixes. Dejonge hammered 62 from only 29 balls, striking nine fours and three sixes, while Gilbert Griffith contributed 22.
Griffith, the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, then claimed two wickets for 10 runs. Fellow national youth player Brandon Grimmond returned two for two, while Nicquan Fraser took two for five as St. Stanislaus slumped to 20 for seven and suffered a heavy defeat.
The playoffs will continue on Sunday, August 16. Annandale will face Abram Zuil in Eliminator One, while unbeaten teams Berbice Educational Institute and Essequibo Islands will meet in Qualifier One.
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