A savage unbeaten half-century from Ricardo Adams carried Essequibo to within reach of victory over Georgetown in the latest round Guyana Cricket Board/Jaguars three-day Franchise League competition at the Tuschen Sports Club Ground, East Bank Essequibo, yesterday.
His knock casted shadows over solid performances from Leon Johnson and Christopher Barnwell as Essequibo ended the day on 156 for five, needing 37 more runs to complete an emphatic victory.
At the close of day two, Adams had hammered his way to an unbeaten 95 and with him was Mark Williams on an unbeaten 34.
Earlier, Georgetown resumed on 13 without loss and found themselves in early trouble on a tricky wicket with the score on 38 for 2 as left-arm spinner, Ricardo Adams accounted for both Robin Bacchus (0) and Raymond Perez (26).
Perez was deceived and bowled to leave his middle pole lying on the ground.
Seamer Keemo Paul was also clinical during the morning session and complemented the spinners very well. After the early loss, however, national skipper Johnson and Barnwell, who opened his account with a maximum, battled hard and dug the city side out of trouble during their partnership of 59 to push the score along.
Johnson relied on his compact defence while Barnwell played the role of the aggressor, dispatching several sweetly-timed shots as he raced along.
The partnership though, was broken by Paul, who switched ends after being smashed for a few boundaries to bowl Barnwell for an aggressive 48.
A few deliveries later, Paul was once again celebrating after trapping Ovid Richardson (4) LBW to swing the pendulum of the game Essequibo’s way with the score on 101 for 4.
Sunil Singh (10) perished via the run – out route during the eventful morning session.
At lunch Johnson was unbeaten on 31 and with him was Dexter Solomon on three and the score sat on 128 for 5 with a lead of 75.
Johnson began positively after the lunch session, spanking Anthony Adams for a six and four during the first over after the break while Solomon also took him on to quickly carry the score to 161 – 5 as their partnership grew.
However, a few overs later, off-spinner Chaitram Persaud, dismissed Solomon (10) LBW shortly after Johnson had reached his half-century with a boundary.
Johnson growing in confidence received several loose deliveries which were put to the boundary with ease but left – arm spinner, Akeeni Adams had him caught by his brother, at mid-wicket for 91, after spending nearly five hours at the crease. Steven Sankar made a breezy 25 inclusive of two sixes as Georgetown were dismissed for 245 in 70 .3 overs, acquiring a lead of 192.
Akeeni Adams ended with 3 – 40 while Ricardo Adams had 3 – 82 as Paul snared 2 – 56.
Essequibo, in response, was left tottering at 40 for 4 at the hands of a fired-up Barnwell who claimed all four victims to fall.
The DCC seamer, found good areas and was difficult to handle while Ramaal Lewis joined in the act to remove Persaud (0) as they slipped further into trouble with the score on 40 – 5.
A victory for Essequibo now seemed unlikely but Ricardo Adams had other ideas and played out of his skin to smash a belligerent half-century with nine sixes, three of which came during Barnwell’s destructive spell and four fours in what might very well be a match-winning innings.
Adams laced the spinners and seamers alike to all parts of the Tuschen Sports Club Ground watched by a small crowd and featured in 116-run seventh-wicket partnership with Mark Williams to put his side within reach of a famous win.
