An unbeaten 146-run partnership between Leon Johnson and Man-of-the-Match, Christopher Barnwell saw defending champions, Georgetown, open the Guyana Cricket Board limited overs Franchise League with a seven-wicket win over Upper Corentyne while East Coast and Lower Corentyne too recorded first-round wins yesterday.
Playing at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Georgetown won the toss and decided to bowl after rain reduced the contest to a 44-overs-a-side affair.
Upper Corentyne laboured for their 177 all out in 42.4 overs while Georgetown replied with 178-3 in 26.4 overs.
Georgetown were rocked early on with Clinton Pestano removing Ovid Richardson who flicked a delivery into the air only for Andy Mohan with the gloves, leaping and executing a good catch in the first over.
Pestano’s second over also brought about a wicket with Raymond Perez chopping the ball onto the stumps while Demetri Cameron struck with the wicket of Robin Bacchus to leave Georgetown in a spot of bother on 32-3.
However, despite the lingering clouds, Johnson and Barnwell rotated the strike well and, after the 20th over, shifted gear in the process notching up individual half centuries.
Johnson started off the acceleration with three fours off of Sylus Tyndall on his way to bringing up his half century from 45 balls while Barnwell was more aggressive, reaching the landmark in 37 balls with a six off of Eon Hooper that landed on Carifesta Avenue.
Barnwell closed unbeaten on 83 from 49 balls with 10 fours and a pair of sixes while Johnson smashed 70 not out from 64 balls.
Earlier, Georgetown had a horrid time in the field, dropping four catches as Alex Algoo notched up a half century for Upper Corentyne before falling to Andre Stoll in his 85-ball innings.
Pestano was more aggressive, stroking his 51 runs from just 34 balls with two sixes that crashed onto the roof of the Media Centre at the venue, one off of Barnwell and the other off of Stoll.
Stoll bagged 3-28 on his return to competitive cricket while Lewis was the pick of the bowlers with 4-26 including a pair of wickets in successive deliveries to close the innings off.
Ashmead Nedd and Steven Jacobs supported with 2-31 and 1-32 respectively.
At the Enmore Community Center Ground, East Coast Demerara restricted East Bank Demerara to 127 in reply to the 152 they had posted earlier to win by 25 runs.
East Bank won the toss and sent East Coast in to bat with Amir Khan and Kamesh Yadram stroking 39 and 33 respectively as their side folded in 46.1 overs. Ronaldo Ali Mohammed snatched 3-16 while Trevor France copped 3-43.
Trevon Griffith and Keon Morris returned 2-34 and 1-17 respectively.
Griffith returned with the bat to blast 78 at the top of the order but his was the only one double figure innings.
Griffith’s innings consisted of three sixes and five fours but the bowlers dominated with medium pacers, Bhaskar Yadram and Chanderpaul Hemraj collecting 3-20 and 3-8 respectively while Khan returned with the ball to bag 2-24 and Gajanan Sukhanan, 2-31.
At, Albion Jonathan Foo’s all-round performance ensured Lower Corentyne scamper to a three-run win over West Berbice.
The match started at noon and was reduced to 36 overs. Lower Corentyne took first strike and posted 166-7 from their allotted overs while West Berbice managed 163 all out in the chase.
Jason Sinclair and Junior Sinclair got Lower Corentyne off to a superb start with a partnership of 54 runs. Jason Sinclair hammered three fours in his knock of 30 while Junior Sinclair clobbered 32 runs with a solitary six and a four.
Kevlon Anderson made a quick fire 17 with three fours but it was Foo’s innings of 59 from 57 balls with four fours and three sixes that propelled his side to the total along with Sasenarine Sukhu’s knock of 20.
Gudakesh Motie was the pick of the bowlers with 3-23 while Keon Joseph supported with 2-51.
Kevin Sinclair and Kevin Jawahir took one wicket each.
Foo returned with the ball to take three wickets while Kevin Umroa and Kassim Khan also took three wickets each.
The match looked to be in the bag for West Berbice with Kevin Sinclair, Javid Karim and Andre Dutchin smashing 30, 22 and 35 respectively but the wickets continued to fall consistently, heralding the defeat.
