South Georgetown easily defeated North Georgetown by 29 runs in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Republic Bank Right Start cricket competition at the Demerara Cricket Club ground yesterday.
Being asked to bat first, South found themselves tottering on 90-8 despite an opening stand of 49 between captain Darrell Fredericks (45 with five fours) and Keron George (19 with three fours). But despite seeing four of their batsmen dismissed via the run out route in their innings, Mortland Ward (12 two fours) and Derron Lord (5) stuck together to post 37 runs for the ninth wicket to add some respectability to their team’s total.
Extras was a main contributor to the score, being 32 in total as Abdool Raheem (2-8) and Trevor France (2-10) being the main wicket takers. There was also a wicket each for Michael Smith (1-7) and Omesh Danram (1-23).
North in reply saw their innings off to a disastrous start as fast bowler Ward sent back their opener with the fourth ball of the innings. They were soon 1-2 when Gavon Charles removed the number three batsman and brought some life back into the South dressing room.
A 32 run partnership between Jonathan Byron (13) and Raheem helped restore some pride to the North team but with the introduction of 14 year old off spinner Armando Doman, the runs dried up as he kept a tight rein on the batsmen on the flat DCC wicket.
He soon removed Byron caught at the wicket by wicket keeper Mark Bamfield who was having a great day in the field and all of a sudden, the North batsmen found themselves struggling to get the ball off the wicket with extras (32 in total) being the main contributor during this period. They spent nine nervous overs in the 40s and their first boundary was scored in the 23rd over so dominant was the South slower bowlers.
But with the demise of four of their batsmen via the run out route it was only a matter of time before it would be all over bar the shouting. The end came when France lost his middle stump to George as he went back to a ball pitched on his off stump to spark of wild celebrations in the South dressing room and on the field. Once again, extras was the main contributor with 32 being bowled by the South team, whilst Ileo Freeman (18 2×4) and Byron (13 1×4) being the only batsmen to post double figures for North.
Bowling for the victors, Ward took 2-20 whilst there was a wicket each for Doman (1-9 from 8 overs), George (1-14) and Charles (1-21). South Georgetown will now await the winner of the East Georgetown/ East Coast Demerara clash.
