North Zone went down by seven wickets to Central Zone in the semifinals of the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board (TTCB) U-13 Inter-Zone tournament on Thursday, 8 May, at Balmain Recreation Ground.
Jean Paul Barrimond Jr produced an all-round performance in a losing cause, scoring an unbeaten half-century to set a target of 184 for victory.
However, the in-form Lemuel Joseph and Sanjay Jairam hit crucial half-centuries to take Central to victory despite Barrimond taking one of the three wickets to fall.
Central Zone will take on South East Zone in the TTCB U13 Inter-Zone finals on Monday at the National Cricket Center in Balmain, Couva.
South East defeated North East in Thursday’s semifinals at the National Cricket Center.
At Greig Street on Thursday, Aden Ramjohn held firm for North after the early losses of Christiano Carrington (8) and Dante Redhead (1).
Barrimond emerged from the dressing room to add 30 for the third wicket with Ramjohn (21).
However, he was forced into a more conservative role with the loss of three wickets to Sameer Rahimulla for only eight runs.
North slid from 108 for 3 to 116 for 6 in the space of 10 balls before Barrimond rescued the innings from calamity with Ethan Thomas.
The North number four hit 68 not out off 72 balls and struck five fours and three sixes to push the score to 183 for 6 at the end of their 40-over allotment.
Barrimond and Thomas (14 not out) produced an unbroken 67 runs off 62 balls.
Rahimulla ended with 3 for 17 off his four overs, while Raul Rampaul (1/15), Jaden Rampersad (1/22), and Caleb Mitchell (1/23) also took wickets.
However, Central Zone made light work of the target of 184, getting there in only 26.5 overs with 79 balls to spare.
Lemuel Joseph overcame the early loss of Christiano Alexander (3) to Barrimond, to put on 39 for the second wicket with Akash Bansraj (13).
Joseph then found a kindred spirit in Sanjay Jairam as they flayed 83 for the third wicket off only 62 balls.
Joseph fell for 59 (8×4) with 31 runs remaining, but Jairam ensured there would be no further hiccups as Central Zone clinched their place in the final.
Jairam brought up his 50 off his 40th delivery faced, while Caleb Mitchell ended on 11 not out.
Barrimond took 1 for 17, Tariq Small dismissed Bansraj to take 1 for 30, while Vivek Nandalal’s 1 for 32 included the wicket of Joseph.
Summarized scores: North U13 183/6 in 40 overs (Jean Paul Barrimond Jr 68*, Aiden Ramjohn 21; Sameer Rahimulla 3/17, Raul Rampaul 1/15) vs Central Zone U13 184 for 3 in 26.5 overs (Lemuel Joseph 59, Sanjay Jairam 50*; Jean Paul Barrimond Jr. 1/17, Tariq Small 1/30, Vivek Nandalal 1/32). Central Zone U13 won by seven wickets.
