Universal DVD Berbice Titans maintained their winning streak at home by defeating the Georgetown Lions by four wickets in the final of the 2013 Independence Cup 20/20 competition held Sunday at the Albion Sports Complex ground, Berbice.
The tournament was organised by the Berbice Cricket Board (BCB) and the Berbice Chamber Of Commerce and sponsored by Banks DIH, COURTS, Hand-In-Hand insurance Limited and others.
The tournament was scheduled to begin at 9:00hrs, however, rainfall the previous night resulted in the first match being pushed back to 12:30hrs while the overs were reduced to 15 instead of the initial 20.
Nevertheless the home crowd and cricket fanatics from the length and breadth of Guyana came out to celebrate the 47th Independence anniversary and witnessed some of fine displays of cricketing talent.
The first match saw Berbice Titans scripting a convincing nine-wicket win over their fellow Berbicians the Karibee Rice Tigers.
Winning the toss and opting to bat the Tigers finished on 92 for 8 from their 15 overs. They were led by a gritty 34 from opener Kandasammy Surujnarine who stroked two sixes in his knock; he was supported by Keith Fraser who made 15 and National U19 wicketkeeper Jason Sinclair who hit one six and a four in his cameo of 15.
With the score 47 for four in the 10th over, the bowling for the Titans, led by the two experienced pair of West Indies spinners, Devendra Bishoo and skipper Veerasammy Permaul picked up two wickets each. Keon Joseph’s pace, Sewnarine Chattergoon’s slow turners and Eon Hooper’s discipline were rewarded with a wicket each.
Chasing 93 to win the Titans cruised to 97 for the loss of one wicket thanks to the West Indian batting pair of Sewnarine Chattergoon who smashed an unbeaten 65 from 44 balls which included six fours and three sixes and left hander Assad Fudadin who chipped in with an unbeaten 29.
Earlier, they lost opener Richard Ramdeen for a duck but the two elegant players saw their team to the final with three overs remaining.
Michael Newland was the only wicket taker picking up the wicket of Ramdeen while going for 10 runs in the process.
The second match was dominated by the Georgetown Lions who steamrolled their way to the final by crushing BK international East Coast Jaguars by eight wickets.
Chasing 101 to win from their 15 overs, they were led by the dominant pair of Andrew Lyght Jr., who bullied the bowlers striking a 16-ball 38 which included four maximums and a four and the Chris Barnwell, fresh from the Indian Premier League who hammered six sixes in his 24-ball 49. Barnwell was dropped on 15 off the bowling of Deosaran but finished up his innings by smashing three of his six sixes off him.
The Lions lost opener Trevon Griffith early after he struck a four but was dismissed the next ball. They then lost skipper Leon Johnson for six, but Barnwell and Lyght Jr., made light (no pun intended) work of the total and providing some six hitting displays in the process, wrapping up the chase with six overs remaining.
Amir Khan and Kumar Bishundial picked up one wicket each for the Jaguars.
Earlier the East Coast Jaguars made 100 for 4 in their 15 overs. Anthony Ifill (33), Surujpaul Deosaran (28) and Krishna Deosaran (19) were the notable scorers. Pacer Paul Wintz, Robin Bacchus and spinner Shaquille Williams picked up one wicket each.
The stage was set for the final encounter which was dubbed a grudge match between Demerara and Berbice as they pulled out all the stops in their 20 over encounter under lights.
Winning the toss Berbice Titans chose to field a move which paid off as Georgetown started off shakily with Griffith failing for the second time in two innings being dismissed in the first over. Lyght Jr., and Robin Bacchus played smartly taking the score to 38 for one before Bacchus was run on for nine. Lyght Jr., was eventually dismissed lbw by Chattergoon.
Barnwell, who played a blitz in the first game failed to repeat the feat and was bowled by Permaul for 15. Johnson also failed as he was trapped lbw for 5.With the score 46 for 5 wicketkeeper Derwin Christian came to the party along with Chanderpaul Hemraj and bailed their team out by playing breath taking knocks which left the crowd and the Titans stunned.
Christian struck a 27-ball 61 which included five huge sixes and three fours and ensured no bowler was safe while Hemraj’s 66 required a mere 30 balls which he hammered five sixes and four boundaries taking their team to a mammoth 184 for 6 off their allotted 20 overs.
In their reply the Titans played as a unit having their big guns firing them to their target of 185 for 6 with two overs remaining.
National U19 opener Shimron Hetemyer provided the early fireworks stroking an aggressive 33 which included two sixes and two fours. Other important knocks came from Chattergoon (25), Gajanand Singh (27), Fudadin (28), Jonathan Foo (20) and Rajiv Ivan (19) not out.
Earlier, Lions skipper Johnson pulled his team back by picking up the wickets of Chattergoon and Singh in successive overs. He then picked up his third when he had the dangerous Foo caught by Griffith.
The Lions bowling proved to be wayward as Williams picked up the wicket of Delbert Hicks but his quota of four yielded 50 runs, while Bacchus went for 32 in his four picking up the wicket of Fudadin.
The post match presentation was done immediately after and the young player award went to Hetemyer, while Lions batsman Hemraj copped awards for Man of the match and best batsman. Lions skipper Johnson received the award for best bowler for his figures of 3 for 30.
Team prizes were given to first place and second place teams. Johnson received a trophy and a cheque for $150,000, while Titans skipper Permaul collected the winner’s trophy and the cheque valued $300,000.
Chairman of the competition, Anil Beharry, expressed his appreciation for the sponsors, cricketers and most of all the supporters that turned up to make the even a spectacle.
He vowed that the next time the tournament is held the lights will be permanent and will be able to host floodlight cricket more often.
