By Anthony Layne
The Guyana Fire Service (GFS) narrowly escaped being arrested by sneaking past the Guyana Police Force (GPF) in the second round of the inaugural Balram Raghubir 40-over cricket competition yesterday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.
In one of two rain-affected matches, GFS won the toss and invited Police to bat; a decision they must have regretted.
Openers Troy Benn and Cecil Adams posted 52 in 11.3 overs off 69 deliveries with Adams being the first to go through the run-out route for 15.
Jason Heyliger joined Benn; the former flourished briefly then perished going LBW to Jermaine Neblett for 17 (3x4s), with the score on 80.
Neblett struck again 17 runs later, bowling newcomer Munilall Persaud for six.
Trevor Benn joined his older sibling Troy and the pair posted the 100 in 23.4 overs.
Sixteen runs later, however, Trevor Benn fell, caught at slip by Neblett.
Hansell King replaced the younger Benn, but with the score at 129 in the 31st over, Troy’s responsible knock ended when he was caught by Brandis off Saroop for 56 (6x4s; 73 deliveries).
Dexter Southwell was next in but he never suggested permanence and was stumped off Neblett for seven.
Shevon Marks and King then set about the GFS attack and aided by poor ground fielding and catching, posted 150 in 35.2 overs.
King in particular was in punishing mood, striking two towering sixes in the final over which yielded 17 runs.
King and Marks ended on 44 n.o. (4x4s; 2x6s) and 16 n.o. (1×6), respectively, as the lawmen totalled 191-6 off the allotted 40 overs. Neblett was the pick of the bowlers for the firemen, claiming 3-26 off eight overs, while Keith. Saroop supported with 2-49.
There was a brief, heavy downpour almost immediately after the innings closed, causing play to be interrupted for approximately two hours.
When play finally resumed at approximately 4pm, the firefighters needed to score 72 off a minimum 15 overs to win.
They suffered an early setback with opener Quincy James falling LBW to medium pacer marks for a cameo 15 (3x4s).
Pacer Trevor Benn then threatened to set the cat among the pigeons with a double strike leaving the firemen tottering on 22-3.
But Victor Rodrigues joined Jermaine Neblett and together they steadied the ship with an entertaining partnership.
Rodrigues scored the winning runs with a six over backward square-leg as the firemen ended on 75-3 in 10.5 overs.
Neblett was 30 n.o (3x4s; 31 balls), while Rodrigues was n.o 19 (1×4; 1×6).
Trevor Benn and Shevon Marks claimed 2-7 and 1-24 off three overs respectively.
The other game featuring the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) and the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) was played simultaneously on pitch 2.
In that game, Prisons won the toss, took first strike, and rattled up 240-7 off their 40 overs. Travis Gilbert cracked 78 (7x4s; 3x6s); Martin Rajmangal, 53 (6x4s; 3x6s); Henry Hope, 30 (2x4s; 2x6s); Elton Adams, 23 (1×4; 1×6); and a quick fire 14 (2x6s; from three balls) by Kelsey Archer. Off-spinner Paul Castello led with 4-29, supported by Miguel Cort and Gordon Mc Pherson with 1-39 and 1-30, respectively.
Unfortunately, the rain caused that game to be abandoned before the soldiers could begin their reply.
Meanwhile, in the opening round on Wednesday, the GDF beat the GFS by six wickets while the GPF defeated the GPS by two wickets in matches that were reduced to 20-overs-a-side through late preparation of the pitches.
On pitch 1, the army won the toss and decided to field first. The firemen posted an inadequate 109 all out in 16.4 overs; the soldiers replied with 110-4, with victory coming off the final delivery.
Principal scorers for the firefighters were Rodrigues and Keith Saroop with 19 and 16, respectively. Medium pacer Leon Benton grabbed 3-21 from his four overs while Castello claimed 3-45. Pacer Allen Mc Pherson chipped in with 2-0 from four deliveries.
When the soldiers batted, Terry Fraser hit an unbeaten 22(1×4; 1×6). Andrew Williams took 2-24 from his four overs.
In the other encounter the GPS batted first and were bundled out for a paltry 85 in 18.4 overs. Gilbert hit a face-saving 39 (3x4s; 2x6s), for the GPS. Trevor Benn claimed 2-8 from his four overs while Quintin Sugrim and Dexter Southwell chipped in with two wickets apiece.
In reply the lawmen reached 86-8 off 18 overs.
The competition continues today with arch-rivals GPF and GDF squaring off and the GFS taking on the GPS.
