Jamal Mickle clean bowls Elvette Dore with the first ball of the last over with just 4 runs required to win. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Bisoo Silchand was named Best Overall Player of the game for some crucial middle order runs and keeping a calm head during the run chase as he marshalled his bowlers and fielders to great effect. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Jolyon Wilson picked up 3 for 11 and took the crucial wicket of Chetwin Bagot in the penultimate over. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Two teams from both the Virgin Gorda and Tortola Clusters were pitted against each other in a battle of the Territory’s best available Under-19 players and it was Silchand’s team that came out on top, winning the 20/20 game by bowling out Ian Sampson’s team for 111, three short of their victory target.

Batting first after winning the toss, Silchand’s team rattled up 114 from their allotted 20 overs with some late pyrotechnics from Jamaal Mickle, who inflated the score to a competitive one.

Rafael Savoury had crunched 17 runs after the early loss of Jolyon Wilson for 11. Wilson was caught out of his ground at the non striker’s end when the ball was deflected on to the stumps by the hand of Kedash Talla following a thumping drive from Savoury.

Savoury’s innings included one six and two fours and Silchand added a quickfire 14 in support of Mickle.

On the bowling side, Elvette Dore made a much welcomed return to cricket and picked up an astonishing 3 wickets for just 5 runs, courtesy of some accurate medium pace bowling, a hat trick, and the safe hands of Chetwin Bagot. Talla and Raoul Roberts finished with 2-25 and 2-18 respectively.

Right from the start of the reply, Roberts and Ricky Singh stuck to a game plan that meant steady risk free accumulation against the opening bowlers and then quick acceleration through the middle overs.

They did the first part of putting on a half century opening partnership, but then the wheels came off as both were out in quick succession, exposing the middle order to a pressurized run chase as the required rate steadily climbed.

Roberts was first to go for 20, quickly followed by Singh and although they had seen off the new ball bowlers in Wilson and Mickle, Silchand still had some tricks up his sleeve and marshaled his bowlers around well to keep taking crucial wickets.

Sampson, Chetram Silchand and Tavoy Morgan all feel cheaply but Andre Kartik showed some glimpses of form, however, it wasn’t until Dore joined Bagot that a victory once again seemed a possibility.

Some lusty blows and intelligent running saw the target whittle slowly down, but Silchand kept his cool, made sure his field was set how he wanted and had faith in his bowlers.

The penultimate over bowled by Wilson proved pivotal as he removed the dangerous looking Bagot, LBW for 16, but by the end of it Dore and Brandon Kartik had just 4 runs to score from the last six balls, with Dore on strike.

Silchand turned to Mickle and Dore, having already struck 10 runs, made room to smash the delivery through the leg side but missed and the ball cannoned into middle stump to spark a joyous celebration.

Mickle finished with 1 for 20, Wilson 3 for 11 and Silchand 3 for 21.

The individual awards, courtesy of the WICB and Digicel, and presented by Meryln George went to Christian Tranquille for Most Outstanding Wicket keeper; Best Bowler went to Elvette Dore; Best Fielder, Chetwin Bagot; Best Overall Player, Bissoo Silchand and Best Batsman, Jamaal Mickle.

Team A: Anthony Antoine, Jolyon Wilson, Yash Banthia, Bisoo Silchand, Christian Tranquille, Recoy Johnson, Aiden George, Rafael Savoury, Jamaal Mickle, Diondre Davis, Phillip Jules.

Team B: Ricky Singh, Chetram Silchand, Ian Sampson, Tavoy Morgan, Shamoy Thompson, Andre Kartik, Brandon Kartik, Raoul Roberrts, Elvette Dore, Kedesh Talla, Chetwin Bagot.

Both the Virgin Gorda and Tortola based training continues weekly with the next match scheduled for after Easter. Well over 40 youngsters are enrolled in the programme, which caters for 11-18 year olds and is provided free of charge.

The WICB Digicel Grassroots programme is aimed at anyone who has an interest in the game of cricket regardless of ability. The Clusters or Training centres are run by fully qualified Coaches and are held in conjunction with the BVI Cricket Association, in order to provide players for National Team selection.