The Essequibians did not disappoint and were not mere onlookers when they battled the Rest Team who eventually won by four wickets in the first match of the Carib/Pepsi T20 competition at the Guyana National Stadium yesterday.
They had the Rest Team on the back foot for a large portion of the match that was supposed to be a one-sided affair. In the end the contributions of Andrew Lyght Jr. and Shemroy Barrington who made 33 and 26 respectively saw the Rest Team to their victory target of 92-6 in 16.2 overs.
This did not come easy, however, since pacer Rayon Thomas had match figures of 4-21 from his four overs. When Essequibo batted, Delon Heyliger was the only batsman to make a substantial score with 38 while off spinners Deon Ferrier and Stephen Latcha took 3-11 apiece from their four overs.
The Essequibo team’s management had boasted of the team being more adept at the shorter form of the game but yet there was no supporting evidence yesterday afternoon on the slow stadium pitch.
They got off to a rocky start, losing three wickets by the time the score was 23. There was a flicker of hope from the Heyliger brothers, Delon and Jason, who put on the team’s highest partnership of 30 from 4.4 overs.
Two sixes and a four dotted that innings in 28 balls before Delon holed out to long on and was caught by Andrew Lyght off the bowling of spinner Gajanand Singh, who got his revenge after being pulled for four through forward square.
The score was 70 and the characteristic decline followed until the innings closed on the final ball of the allotted overs.
When the Rest Team started their reply they too lost early wickets when Maxie De Young, driving on the up, was caught at short extra cover by Delon Heyliger. Two balls later, West Indies under-19 opener Trevon Griffith also went to a soft dismissal after spooning a catch to mid on off the bowling of Rayon Thomas.
The Rest Team were 12-2 in the third before Barrington swept spinner Robert Moore to backward square and then followed up with a cut through cover to break the deadlock. Then Barrington showed his deftness when a sweetly timed inside-out off Moore went for six over extra cover.
The Heyliger brothers came together again to dismiss Singh. The Essequibian bowlers, for the first time in the match, were in control. Barrington pulled Thomas for four off a free hit to backward square being caught by Delon Heyliger at short extra cover off the bowling of Thomas.
He hit fours and a six in his innings from 28 balls. Then Thomas struck again when Eugene La Fleur was caught behind by Kenzo Baksh chasing a wide delivery. Lyght Jr. hit the second six of the innings in the 12th over when he dispatched D. Heyliger over long on.
Ranga Latchana followed shortly after, caught at cover, before Lyght and Ferrier took their team home in 16.2 overs. Lyght struck three fours and a six in his unbeaten innings of 33.
Scoreboard
Essequibo Innings
N. Fredericks lbw Latcha 10
K. Baksh lbw Latcha 5
R. Fredericks b Carmichael 1
D. Heyliger c Lyght b G. Singh 38
S. Murray c Carmichael b La Fleur 10
J. Heyliger b Latcha 7
O. Sampson b Ferrier 3
A. Adams run out (G. Singh) 5
R. Moore c Latchana b Ferrier 0
R. Thomas b Ferrier 3
R. Beatonnot out 0
Extras: (w-8, lb-4) 12
Total: (all out off 20 overs) 91
FOW: 1-16, 2-17, 3-23, 4-40, 5-70, 6-73, 7-82, 8-82, 9-87, 10-91
Bowling: Carmichael 4-0-19-1, Latcha 4-0-11-3 (2w), Ferrier 4-0-11-3, La Fleur 4-0-18-1, G. Singh 4-0-23-1
Demerara innings
M. De Younge c D. Heyliger b Thomas 3
S. Barrington c D. Heyliger b Thomas 26
T. Griffith c Murray b Thomas 0
G. Singh c J. Heyliger b D. Heyliger 6
A. Lyght not out 33
E. La Fleur c wkp Baksh b Thomas 2
R. Latchana c D. Heyliger b Murray 4
D. Ferrier not 7
Extras: (w-8 lb4 nb2 14
Total: (from 16 . 2 95
FOW: 1-12, 2-12, 3-37, 4-45, 5-59, 6-81,
Bowling: R. Beaton 3-0-22-0, R. Moore 3-0-18-0, R. Thomas 4-0-21-4, D. Heyliger 3-0-17-1, S. Murray 2.2-0-8-1
