By Marlon Munroe
Georgetown’s Flex Text and Upper Corentyne’s Free Weekend will clash in tonight’s final at the Guyana National Stadium after they comfortably disposed of East Coast Demerara Flex Check and New Amsterdam Free Credit respectively last night at the same venue in the DigicelTwenty20 competition.
In the final match, which started at 19:00 hours, right handed opener Richard Ramdeen stroked a brilliant 41 (2×4, 1×6) in partnership with Delbert Hick, who hit an unbeaten 37, to lead UCFW to an eight wicket win over NAFC. UCFW reached 99-2 in 16.1 overs after NAFC were only good enough to compile 98-7 from their allotted 20 overs.
Ramdeen and Hicks, who shared in a 87-run, second wicket partnership, were never troubled after they lost opening batsman Sewnarine Chattergoon.
Ramdeen was bowled when his team required 17 runs for victory after which Hicks and Jonathan Foo, who hit a straight six to end the game, ensured that their team took its rightful place in the finale of the Guyana Cricket Board/Digicel Summer Splash Twenty20 competition.
Fast bowler Keyron Fraser was the most economical bowler with figures of 1-24 from four overs while Renrick Batson accounted for the other wicket.
When NAFC batted they were outplayed from the inception and their batsmen never put together a partnership to threaten the UCFW batsmen. Eventually they settled after a spirited unbeaten knock of 27 from Eugene La Fleur; Keith Fraser and Reyad Ali contributed 20 and 18 respectively.
Spinner Chattergoon spearheaded the bowling with miserly returns of 2-5 (4). He was supported by leg spinner Devendra Bishoo and medium pacer Michael Newland who had identical figures of 2-19 from four overs apiece.
In the first semi-final captain Leon Johnson hit an unbeaten half century to guide GTFT to an eight wicket victory over ECDFC.
After winning the toss and batting ECFC had to contend with the bowling of spinner Deon Ferrier, who took 3-17 (4), before they settled at 110-7 from their 20 overs. Ryan Ramdass and Krishna Arjune were the chief contributors with 29 (3×4) 21 (2×4, 1×6) respectively.
Wasim Haslim (19) and skipper Zaheer Mohammed (18) also assisted with the bat to save some face for the ECD team. Pacers Trevon Garraway and Christopher Barnwell and spinner Totaram Bishun each had a wicket apiece.
When Georgetown responded, Barnwell and West Indies under-19 opener Trevon Griffith top scored with 24 and added 37 for the first wicket.
Griffith then added 33 with Johnson for the second wicket before Griffith was caught by Clive Andries at long off the bowling of spinner Wasim Haslim
Johnson, who struggled for a period during his innings, battled back with Steven Jacobs against the spin based attack to take their team to victory in the final over with three balls to spare.
Johnson finished the match when he struck left arm orthodox spinner Imran Khan for a six over midwicket followed by a four back over the bowler’s head as his team ended on 114-2 from 19.3 overs.
In today’s fixture there will be the third place play off and a 10-over exhibition match featuring the national female squad.
The exhibition match commences at 14:00 hours and the third place playoff at 16:10 hours.
The winner of the final, which starts at 19:00 hours will pocket $400,000 while the runner-up will take home $200,000.