By Neil Barry Jr.,
The Georgetown Cricket Club will face the Demerara Cricket Club in a final shoot out for the New Building Society limited overs title.
The sides progressed to the final through commanding batting performances in their semi-finals against Police Sports Club and Everest Cricket Club respectively.
GCC was clinical in a 102-run victory over Police while DCC scored a massive 178-run win over Everest.
At Queenstown, homesters DCC enjoyed the early advantage after being sent in to bat first by Everest.
Despite losing the early wicket of Kemol Savory for five with score on 18, DCC strung together consistent partnership to post a daunting total of 9 for 296 from their allotted 40 overs with Omesh Dhanran striking a century.
Linden Smith (52 with eight fours and two sixes) and Jahron Byron (23 with five fours) initiated the recovery.
After Jamal Hinckson was caught for 15 off the bowling of Shaheed Mohamed, Andrew Gibson (39 with three fours and a six) supported Dhanram.
Dhanram scored 106 before being dismissed by Mohamed, who had figures of 4 for 60 from eight overs.
Dhanram struck 12 fours and five sixes in his knock which spurred DCC to their commanding total, boosted in the end with a quick-fire 21 from Dennis Squires.
Christopher Surat took 2 for 56 and Riyyad Sattaur 2 for 31.
The aggressive Sherfayne Rutherford got Everest off to a flyer as he struck a brisk 41 from just 18 deliveries with a six and eight fours before he was dismissed in the sixth over, caught and bowled by Cavell Reece with the score on 48.
Reece found some seam movement and together with Dexter George, combined for a ive-wicket burst in the space of five overs to send Everest crashing from 48-1 to 60-6 in 10 overs.
Their burst effectively removed the spine from the Everest chase although Kevin Ramdeen and Surat threatened briefly to stage a partnership of note.
George had Mohamed lbw and Rishi Heralall caught while Reece bowled Mohan Ramdeen for 10 after the batsman had struck two boundaries. Reece finished with 4 for 45 and George 2 for 24 while Squires helped mop up the tail with 2 for 27 as Everest were bowled out for 118 in 25.5 overs.
At Bourda, the home side GCC was as clinical as a surgeon as they outplayed Police Sports Club in every department.
GCC batted first and compiled 4 for 287, building substantial partnerships throughout the innings.
Winston Forrester fell one short of a century, scoring 99 with 10 fours, testimony to the emphasis placed on singles, and good running on the former Test venue. Forrester and Robin Bacchus shared in a 122-run opening partnershiop to put Police on the backfoot from the start. Bacchus scored 54 with eight fours while Elon Fernandes hit one four and two sixes in 62 while Alex Ramalho scored a brisk 41, striking a six and four fours along the way. GCC’s second wicket only fell with the score on 208 when Forrester was caught off Ryan Rajmangal, who finished with 2 for 39 before the new batsmen stepped up the ante in the closing stages of the innings.
Police, in reply, were once again playing catch up. They lost the wicket of Troy Benn for a solitary six with the score on six as well off the bowling of Cleon Critchlow. Rajmangal and Munilall Persaud helped take the score to 55 before Rajmangal fell for 24 with five fours and Pdrsaud for 22 with three fours. Leon Crawford then hit three fours in 20 as Police took to the aerial route in an attempt to reach GCC’s score. Rawle Haynes was savage against the off-spin of Aklmando Doman hitting him for three fours and a six but the bowler had the last laugh when Haynes was caught behind attempting a cut to a ball to close to the body. His dismissal for 33 with the score on 135 marked the last real threatening stand for Police who brought up their 150 in just 20 overs. GCC didn’t miss a chance in the field as they negated the Police batsmen’s aggression with attacking fielding and safe catching. In the end the lawmen never quite caught up with the young GCC men and they were bowled out for 185. Devon Lord picked up 2 for 29 from eight overs, Doman 2 for 22 and Bacchus 2 for 30.
