– score three-wicket victory in GCB/Gafsons 20/20
It was dubbed an exciting encounter before a ball was bowled, and both teams, namely host Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and defending champions Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC), ensured this was a reality when the two clashed in a first round encounter of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ Gafsons Industries Limited nationwide 20/20 competition.
Asked to take first strike on a fast DCC wicket, MSC who defeated Albion Community Centre in the final last year were bowled out for 94 from the penultimate delivery of the 20th over, to which the home team replied with 96-7 from 19 overs, amidst much tension both on and off the field.
MSC could have been in some bother when Orin Forde who had replaced former national under-19 opener Shemroy Barrington was given a life by wicket keeper Darwin Christian off the bowling of Trevon Garraway (2-17) who was bowling with pace and aggression.
But the batsman rebounded to hit the next two deliveries disdainfully over midwicket and through backward square leg for four, before he was caught by Christopher Barnwell at cover off the following delivery to leave MSC on 26-2 in the third over.
Al1 this time, MSC skipper and former West Indies Under-19 vice captain Steven Jacobs was going great guns for his team, hitting a free hit from Garraway audaciously off the back foot and through point for four, followed by a flick off his legs for another four. He also struck Kester Harcourt (2-21) over mid wicket with authority for six, before he was caught by Jamal Hinckson at midwicket off the bowling of former national off spinner Gavin Nedd who took 3-17 form his four overs of gentle off spin.
The veteran Neil Barry (24* 2×4), hung around with the lower order but did not receive much support as the Thomas Lands team gifted their wickets away with some injudicious shot selections, one being the dismissal of Danny Narayan who was bowled by Nedd in his attempt to sweep.
Nedd received support from Garraway who took 2-17 and Harcourt 2-21 bowling for DCC. Barnwell and Dennis Squires took 1-7 and 12 respectively. When DCC began their reply, they got a sound start from Barnwell (23 2×6; 1×4)and national under-19 opener Trevon Griffith ( 20. 2×6; 1×4) with the latter displaying a no-nonsense mood to the bowling of national under-17 selectee Seon Daniels (2-33) and former national under-19 off spinner Sean Devers (1-30).
Griffith opened his account by hitting free hit from Daniels’s first over which went for 17 runs down to backward point for four, followed by a six over backward square leg, before hitting Devers exquisitely through the covers for another four. Forde retuned the life giving favour to the Queenstown lads when he grassed an easy chance offered by Griffith off the bowling of Jacobs, whose first three overs were maidens, in the fourth over of DCC’s innings, with the score reading 24 without loss.
To add insult to injury, he flicked Devers over midwicket for six, before he was given out controversially, caught at the wicket by Delroy Jacobs off Devers for 20 (2×6; 1×4) in the fifth over.
Jamal Hinckson was run out by the full length of the pitch after Barnwell refused to respond to a single after pushing a delivery from Jacobs to backward square leg. Christian replaced Hinckson and immediately hit Devers back over his head for six.
Barnwell broke the tight spell by Jacobs when he hit him for sixes over long on and mid wicket off successive deliveries, but was adjudged lbw to Damian Van Tull and when Christian was bowled by an in swinging delivery from Daniels, DCC were 66-4 in the 11th over. Daniels also removed Vishal Arjune (05) who was caught by Jacobs at point and when Harcourt who struck two fours in his innings of 13 was also caught by Jacobs off Van Tull at first slip, DCC were shakily placed 83-6 in the 15th over.
They limped to 88-7, when Squires was run out in his attempt to go for a second run and needed seven runs to win from the final two overs, but got there safely when Kevin George (10*) got an outside off Ferrier which flew away past Jacobs and down to the boundary for four to seal the win in the 19th over.
Van Tull was the pick of the MSC bowlers with 2-10 while Daniels who went for 17 runs in his first over bowled his other three for 16 to end with 2-33 and Devers 1-30. Even though he did not take a wicket, Jacobs donated a mere 13 runs from his four overs, three of which were maidens early in DCC innings.
