By Neil Barry Jr.,
At the conclusion of a major final, presentations are made, awards are given and photographers rush to capture the winning team in their new found glory. The champions’ portraits are highlighted in press reports and history records only one winner. Absent from the limelight are the runners up, who, despite their previous efforts, failed to surmount the final hurdle. In this way the underlying bittersweet question of every final is probably which team will be asked to move aside for the final picture to be taken.
Such miniature events are the one’s most commonly associated with the pressure associated with a final, and such are the pressures to be faced in the final of today’s Queensway Cup.
Arguably, Georgetown’s two most progressive cricket clubs meet today at the Demerara Cricket Club ground in Queenstown in what can be anticipated to be a fiercely contested showdown for the title of Queensway 2012 limited overs champions. The two clubs, GCC and DCC have been a testimony of consistency and competitiveness as they have either outclassed or otherwise simply outplayed their opponents en route to a rematch of last year’s final at GCC, which the home side won quite comfortably in the end.
DCC, celebrating their Centennial year, will be hoping that the change in venue from Bourda last year to Queenstown this year, will work in their favour as the familiarity of the conditions should produce some mental advantage.
DCC have been led from the front by Captain Christopher Barnwell, who has excelled with both bat and ball as seam bowler and number three batsman. The West Indies T20 all-rounder has found able support in his fellow West Indian T20 player, Derwin Christian, who remains quite efficient behind the stumps, and has been pugnacious at this level with the bat. DCC’s batting order also boasts the likes of former Test batsman Travis Dowlin, as well as Gajanand Singh and Andrew Lyght Jr,.
The depth of DCC’s batting continues right down the order with bowlers Paul Wintz, Andre Stoll and Orlando Sturge all proving quite capable with the bat while Omesh Dhanram adds balance to the team with his leg breaks, which has provided ample support to left-hand chinaman bowler Totaram Bishun.
Coach Garvin Nedd has been both inventive and supportive in his style and strategies which have laid the framework for consistent performances by the club right up from the Under 13 level. Nedd will be especially keen to add the senior title to his list of accomplishments coaching the historic club of Clive Lloyd and Lance Gibbs.
As it relates to history, GCC has been among the longest serving cricket clubs in the Caribbean community as its roots traces back to colonial times when the game was more literally a ‘gentleman’s game’, played by the upper class British.
GCC earned the right to defend their title in the final through polished and disciplined cricket. Led by Coach Monty Lynch and West Indies batsman Leon Johnson, the side has been thorough in its methods, which is reflected especially in the field, which continues to be impressive. The return of Ramnaresh Sarwan to the fold has been a major boost to the club, which also boasts the likes Vishaul Singh, Jeetendra Sookdeo and Robin Bacchus, who have all been among the runs thus far in the tournament. Bacchus has also impressed with his fast bowling, after having taking 4 for 22 in the semi final against GNIC, while his fellow seamer Joshua Wade has been equally efficient if not as successful.
The Queensway Cup final starts at 9:30 a.m. and can be expected to produce some of Georgetown’s best cricket. With the small boundaries and a usually good batting wicket, the match has the potential to go ‘down to the wire’ as the players bring down the curtain on the 2012 edition of the tournament, which has many lucrative prizes at stake for MVP’s, best batsman, best bowler, and most successful fast bowler among other prizes.
