Upper Corentyne played solid all round cricket Thursday to defeat Georgetown by seven wickets earning a place in today’s final of the CGI/Local Franchise League (LFL) 50-overs-a-side tournament.
Played at the Port Mourant Cricket Club Ground, the same venue of their previous loss to the Canje boys on Tuesday, returning skipper Assad Fudadin struck three fours and two huge sixes in his unbeaten 38, while Johnathan Foo’s struck unbeaten 40 with five fours and Jason Sinclair cracked five masterful fours in his 29, as Upper Corentyne cruised to 145 for 3 in 27.2 overs.
Eon Hooper, the right-arm off-spinner, snared 3-20 from eight overs with Fudadin (2-37) and Foo (2-24) the other wicket takers.
Upper Corentyne then restricted Georgetown to 142 all out in 43.2 overs with national youth all-rounder Sherfane Rutherford top scoring with 53 from 74 balls.
His innings included four fours and one six.
Sharaz Ramcharran (11) cracked two fours during the chase before he was pinned leg before wicket by left-arm seamer Andre Stoll (1-15).
However, Sinclair announced himself with a few authoritative fours off the pacers as Upper Corentyne crept to their target.
The 50 came up in 11.2 overs before Kellon Carmichael produced a beauty to have Lloydel Lewis caught by wicketkeeper Kemol Savory for nine.
The introduction of left-arm spinner Devon Lord (1-39), immediately reaped success as Sinclair was outfoxed and bowled by the left-arm spinner.
Foo raised Upper Corentyne’s 100 with a text book cover drive off Lord while Fudadin got his eye in with a few good strokes, before opening up with a big six over long-off off the same bowler.
The pair of experienced batsmen then prevented any further loss of wickets and saw their team home without any hiccups.
Earlier, in-form opener Jeetendra Sookdeo (24), opened his account with a square cut for four off Pestano’s first ball of the opening over.
Opener Andrew Lyght Jr., (06) came off the mark with a flick down the leg for four but fell a few deliveries after when he attempted a lofted drive but was caught by Joshua Ramsammy at long-off.
Georgetown reached their 50 in exactly 15 overs but Fudadin struck again shortly after, this time removing Sookdeo who was caught behind by Anthony Bramble which brought skipper Leon Johnson to the middle.
Johnson did not last long as an attempted sweep off Ramcharran was caught by Foo at deep mid-wicket. He made two.
Leg-spinner Shawn Pereira had Chris Barnwell (04) caught and bowled as Georgetown found themselves 67 for 4. Bramble then executed a brilliant run out when Shemroy Barrington played a streaky drive which went through the third man region but was run out attempting a third run on a fumble by the fielder who quickly returned the ball to the wicketkeeper.
National youth players Kemol Savory and Rutherford were then tasked with rebuilding as well as taking their team to a decent, defendable total, but the pressure was on and Hooper produced a delivery which had Savory trapped lbw for a 21-ball seven.
The 100 came up in 33.3 overs but Georgetown lost all-rounder Kellon Carmichael for six caught by Rajiv Ivan off Foo. However, Rutherford remained calm, smashing Foo for the first six of the innings as they looked to reach a defendable total.
Raj Nannan (05) was caught and bowled by Foo and shortly after Rutherford reached his 50 with a single but was soon bowled by Hooper who picked up the last wicket of Lord (00) caught by Bramble.
The final encounter is set for today as Upper Corentyne prepares to face Lower Corentyne/New Amsterdam under lights at the Albion Community Center ground.
