Demerara led by a sterling bowling performance from the tried and trusted left-arm orthodox bowler Neil `The Beast’ Mc Garrell, easily won both of their opening matches to advance to the final of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Carib Beer/Pepsi senior Inter County Twenty/20 competition at the Providence National Stadium yesterday.
Mc Garrell took 3-15 and 3-25 against Essequibo and defending champions Berbice respectively as Demerara defeated first Essequibo by five wickets and then Berbice by six.
In the first game Essequibo, asked to take first strike, reached 105-9 from their 20 overs after being 58 without loss from eight overs.
Dinesh Joseph, 34 from 23 balls with five fours and Yougeshwar Lall with 20 were the principal scorers.
Zaheer Mohammed claimed 3-7 and Dion Ferrier 3-16 to support Mc Garrell.
Demerara were led to victory by Leon Johnson who stroked an unbeaten 30 as Robert Moore bagged 2-18 while there was a wicket each for Joseph, Goberdhan and Narine.
In their second encounter Berbice, sent in, reached 112-7 through some lusty hitting from Homchand Pooran who was unbeaten on 31.
Mc Garrell took 3-25 whilst Ferrier and Mohammed got one wicket each.
Demerara, in reply reached the target with Dowlin, 31, Johnson, 21, Christopher Barnwell 16 and Orin Forde and Krishna Deosarran 13 each the principal scorers.
Jeremy Gordon ended with 2-45 while there was a wicket each for Esaun Crandon and Imran Jafferally.
Demerara will play the winner of the Berbice/Essequibo encounter which starts at 9am today at the same venue.
The final, which carries a first prize of $100,000.00, will be played from 1pm also at the stadium.
