By Neil Barry Jr.,
The Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA) Noble House Seafoods-sponsored second division two-day competition continued last weekend with four enthralling matches.
In the matches played, the University of Guyana got their campaign off to a decent start while Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) rebounded from a loss in their first match to win by an innings.
The Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) earned themselves an outright victory while their chief rivals the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) lost on first innings points to a determined Gandhi Youth Organisation but saw their batsmen find useful form in their second innings. The round of matches featured compelling hundreds from Jermaine Grovesnor and Jahron Byron while Shivanand Roopnarine scored a pivotal 95. Premchand Sookdeo, Pravindralall Persaud and Devon Lord all produced exceptional bowling performances for their teams in the zone A and B matches.
At Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) Thomas Lands, the Vikings were bowled out for just 137 after batting first with Brian Haynes top scoring with 40 with three fours and three sixes. Damien Ross supported with 25, and R. Sumair contributed 20.
GNIC’s chief wicket taker was Sookdeo who grabbed 7 for 47, while Latchman Bissessar took 2-44.
In reply GNIC reached 291-7 off 49 overs at the close. Grovesnor hit 15 fours and six sixes in his knock of 147 while the next highest score came from Tevin Collins, who made 47.
On Sunday GNIC were bowled out for 343 with Bissessar scoring 34 and Earl Browne 21. Vikings, in reply, closed on 8 for 133 after fielding only 10 men, losing by an innings and 73 runs. Bowling for GNIC in the second innings, Orlando Kurten, Bissessar and Sookdeo each took two wickets.
At GYO, DCC scored 245 all out in 55 overs with opener Kemol Savory top scoring with 58 with supporting knocks coming from Leroy Primo, 37, Ronaldo Renee, 36, Jahron Byron, 25, and Cletus Johnson 23. Pravindralall Persaud captured 5-49 for GYO. At the end of the first day’s play GYO closed one 4 for 139 in 28 overs with Shivanand Roopnarine unbeaten on 78. With him was Wazeer Mohamed not out on 18. Resuming on their overnight score on the second day, GYO fell for 282 with Roopnarine falling five runs short of a century while Mohammed fell for 70. Bowling for DCC, Clive Grant had 3 for 68 and Byron 2 for 36.
DCC’s batsmen fared better in the second innings as they reached 5 for 304 before the captains agreed to call an end to the match with one hour remaining in the game.
Coen Ismond scored 75, Primo 48 and Tevin Imlach 27 but the highlight of DCC’s second innings was a century from Byron who hit 18 fours and three sixes in scoring 109 not out. Byron brought up his hundred with a four before celebrating it with a six.
At the Muslim Youth Organization (MYO) ground, GCC, batting first, scored 215 all out in 45.3 overs. Fadil Umrow led with 56 while Alex Ramalho contributed 39, Almando Doman 22 and pacer Shamar Graham 22. Imtiaz Pooran and Parmanand Parsram claimed three wickets each for MYO who, in reply, fell for 181 in 33.2 overs. Mohamed Wazidali scored 48, Shaeed Gittens 34 and Abrahim Wazidali 24 for MYO. Left-arm spinner Devon Lord collected 6 for 31 and Kevin Plants 2 for 6 to ensure GCC won first innings points. GCC declared their second innings on 8 for 218 with Doman scoring another half century (55) while seam bowler Bernard Bailey top scored with 64. Gittens collected 3 for 67 for MYO, while Imtiaz Pooran had 2 for 37.Chasing 253 for victory MYO fell for 107 in 23.1 overs. Bailey capped a fine all round performance by taking three wickets while Lord took 2 for 32 and Doman 3 for 6 as GCC won by 145 runs. At the University of Guyana Turkeyen Campus the home team batted first and scored 226 all out 75 overs against the Guyana Defence Force. Captain Melroy Stephenson scored 58, Royan McCall 43 not out, Frederick Pestano 37 and Heywood 28. Dennis Legay took three wickets for GDF who responded with an insufficient 152 in 43.3 overs giving UG first innings points. Terry Fraser top scored with 72 for GDF as Royston Alkins took 4 for 44 for UG while his fellow off-spinner Dennis Heywood took 3 for 52.
UG declared at 5 for 141 in 25 overs in their second innings giving themselves a lead of 215. Clevon Hyman made an even unbeaten half century while Alkins made 26 and Leon Williams 20 not out.
GDF reached 24 without loss in their second innings when the match was called off.
