Guyana All-Star defeated the Caribbean All-Star by five wickets in ‘Cricket Cares’ hurricane relief match at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence last evening.
Guyana All-Star won the toss and invited the Caribbean select side to take first strike.
Openers Andrew Fletcher and Kjorn Ottley quickly got into their stride and carried the score to 44 without loss at the end of the first six overs.
Ottley struck boundaries on either side of the wicket while Fletcher dumped deliveries from Romario Shepherd and Steven Jacobs into the stands as the Caribbean All Stars motored on.
The pair continued to extend their partnership as both batsmen freed their arms and launched deliveries from Jacobs into the stands to carry the score to 65 – 0 at the end of the eight over. It was 81 – 0 at the halfway point with Fletcher one run away from his half century.
The Guyana All-Star players, who seemed to be going through the motions, got their first breakthrough when Ramaal Lewis bowled Ottley (38) to leave the score 97-1. His innings included four fours and two sixes.
A run later, Guyanese Shemroy Barrington (1) who batted at number three, held out to midwicket off the bowling of Ricardo Adams.
Fletcher, however, was unbothered and clearing his front leg, hit deliveries from Lewis for two sixes over midwicket, taking the score to 117 – 2 at the end of the 14th over.
Number four batsman Nicolas Pooran, joined in the fun and took 19 runs off the 15th over bowled by Veerasammy Permaul to signal his intention.
Pooran’s breezy (33) though, ended with a brilliant catch by Jonathan Foo on the third man boundary while Lendl Simmons was bowled the following deliver delivery, sent down by Shepherd to leave the Caribbean All-Stars well-placed on 153 – 4.
All the while Fletcher continued to hit the odd boundary taking his tally to 74 with 12 deliveries remaining in the innings.
The innings, however, fell away at the end and the Caribbean All-Stars finished on 174 – 5 from their allotted overs with Fletcher (77) falling in the penultimate over.
His innings included six sixes and a four. Shepherd ended with 2 – 39 and Adams and Lewis took a wicket apiece.
Guyana All-Stars, in reply, were 46 – 1 after the first power play with Robin Bacchus (4) the man dismissed.
Sherfane Rutherford, during that time, carved out several sweetly timed boundaries and looked poised for a big score.
He continued to favour the cut shot, striking Joshua Wade and West Indies seamer Kesrick Williams for two boundaries each which took the Guyana All-Stars side to 86 – 2 at the halfway point.
Skipper Leon Johnson all the while played the supporting role by working the ball in the gaps, taking his score 15 before falling in the 10th over while Rutherford moved to 42.
Anthony Bramble (9) fell moments before Rutherford brought up his 50 with a scorching straight drive.
Rutherford, however, then held out to long off the very next delivery for his 41-ball, 51, which included eight fours.
The score was then 106 – 4 and the Guyana All-Stars on course to reach their target.
Cameos from Jonathan Foo (23), Gajanand Singh (16) and Christopher Barnwell (25) helped them complete the victory as they reached 175 for five in 18.5 overs.
Kellon Carmichael grabbed 2 – 24 from three overs to be the pick of the bowlers.
Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Director of Sports, Christopher Jones were on hand to greet the players before the start of the match.
