The Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) defeated the University of Guyana (UG) by nine wickets to book a spot in the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA), GISE, Star Party Rental and Trophy Stall first-division, two-day tournament at the DCC ground, Queenstown yesterday.
The ending of the game was certainly an anti-climax and didn’t reflect the fight and grit shown by the students on the first day. It took the all-around brilliance of Christopher Barnwell to quell their valour. DCC resumed the final day on 233 – 8 with Barnwell returning on 140 while Totaram Bishun sat on nine.
The pair carried their overnight 93-run stand to 119 before Barnwell, who thumped off-spinner Dennis Heywood for two towering maximums, was dismissed by the off-spinner for 165 in a knock which included 11 fours and 13 sixes.
Bishun (11) was soon after dislodged LBW by Omesh Danram to wrap up DCC’s innings on 265 in 51.1 for a lead of 40 runs.
Heywood was the pick of the bowlers with 3-84 while Ershad Ali (2-48), Danram (2-42) and Ray Newton (2-23) lent excellent support.
UG’s response saw their second innings being stalled by rain with the score on 40 – 3. Melroy Stephenson (14), Godfrey Matthews (4) and Pavindralall Persaud (4), were the men back in the pavilion.
Mathews had his off-stump knocked out of the ground by Guyana Under – 19 seamer, Qumar Torrington while Stephenson fell LBW to Stevin Sankar as did Persaud, who fell to Ashmead Nedd.
After resumption, they quickly disintegrated as the last seven wickets fell for 28 runs and they folded for 68 in 17.2 overs for a lead of only 28 runs.
National Under – 19 left-arm spinner, Nedd was the chief destroyer, ending with 4-15 from seven overs with Bishun supporting with 2-0. The hosts then coasted home, reaching 29 – 1 in 5.5 overs with Trevon Griffith (15) and Sachin Singh (5), the unbeaten batsmen. Haywood (1-13) was responsible for the demise of Raymond Perez (8).
DCC will now wait for the completion of the other semi-final between the Police Sports Club (PSC) and GNIC in a bid to defend their title.
