Man-of-the-match performances from Guyana Stanford Twenty20 player Christopher Barnwell and Papamen’s Kitchen Comets’ David Livingston stole the spotlight in the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) centennial celebration tri-team 20/20 competition played at the Banks DIH Thirst Park ground Tuesday night.
Barnwell struck a century (123) and took 5-18, while Livingston made 49 and also had figures of 5-15 and 3-17 from the two reduced games they both played.
In the first game between DCC and Comets, the former came out victorious by 16 runs, compliments of Barnwell who led the team in the absence of national wicketkeeper/batsman Darwin Christian.CC took first strike and scored 159-4 from 15 overs reduced due to a late start with Guyana/TCL Under-19 opener Trevon Griffith blazing the trail with an accomplished 65 (6×6; 4×4) while Matthew Marques who led the School of the Nations in the just concluded Sir Garfield Sobers/Digicel sponsored schools cricket tournament, blasted his way to an unbeaten 60 that was decorated with seven sixes and three fours. Livingston was the pick of the bowlers for Comets with 3-17 before returning with the bat to score 49 (3×6; 5×4) in a desperate attempt to see his team to victory. Marcus Watkins offered worthy assistance with 38 (3×4;3×6) at the depth, but it was all in a losing effort as Barnwell ripped through the batting with his medium pace to scalp 5-18 while Griffith returned to claim 2-28. In the second of what could have been the final game of the night, DCC took on a Rest X1 that included Guyana Stanford Twenty20 star Orin Forde, former national under-19 captain and West Indies under-19 vice captain Steven Jacobs along with former national under-19 opener Shemroy Barrington and fast bowler Quacy Nedd.
DCC were asked to take first strike and they made a mammoth 223-2 from their 15 overs with Barnwell, who opened the batting with Griffith and posted 129 for the first wicket from only nine overs, scoring an aggressive 123 that included 14 sixes and six fours while Griffith made 46 (4×6; 2×4).
They were both in a destructive mood during their partnership, with Griffith hitting a free hit from Nedd back over the Banks DIH sports club for six while Barnwell struck Jacobs over midwicket twice for successive sixes, followed by a flick off the legs for four and another over midwicket for six to post his 50.
Even though he lost Griffith who had struck another free hit from medium pacer Denroy George for six before being adjudged lbw to Travis Blyden, Barnwell continued to plunder the Rest team bowling by hitting Forde over long on and midwicket for sixes. He raised his 100 when he struck his DCC teammate left arm leg spinner Leroy Bristol over long on for another six and when he was run out in the final over, he had ensured that his team were in a comfortable position to force a victory. Livingston did not disappoint Barnwell as he deceived the rest team batsmen with his slow medium pace on a slow wicket to claim 5-15 even though Blyden helped himself to an unbeaten 51 that was decorated with five sixes, three of them coming in the penultimate over that was bowled by Keon Isaacs from the Comets, and three fours.
Forde also chipped in with 37 (3×6; 3×4) while Barrington made 35 (4×6;1×4), the two sharing a partnership of 48 runs from only four overs following the early dismissal of Steven Jacobs who was caught at deep extra cover off the bowling of Kester Harcourt. Barnwell offered support to Livingston with 2-28 from his three overs. Both Barnwell and Livingston received $3,000 each while DCC pocketed $20,0000 for their efforts, all being generous gestures from president of DCC Alfred Mentore.
