The only two teams to remain in contention for the title and who are undefeated after three rounds of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) 50-overs Franchise League, Essequibo and defending champions, Georgetown, will face-off against each other at Georgetown Cricket Club in the penultimate round today.
Essequibo are just one point ahead of Georgetown. They have earned two bonus points for a tally of 14 while Georgetown have 13 points, coming from three wins, one of which included a bonus point. With just one round to go after this match, it seems likely that either one of these teams will be taking the title. The scenario is straightforward, should Essequibo win they will move on to at least 18 points and likely secure the title since the playing conditions allow for the most points to come first and if that is tied then it comes down to most bonus points, then the winner of the two teams and finally net run rate.
By virtue of Essequibo winning that contest, even if Georgetown win their last round match with a bonus point and Essequibo lose their final round they will still be unable to win the title since the amount of wins and bonus points will equal and Essequibo would have won between the two.
Similarly, should Georgetown win, they will move to at least 17 points heading into the final round. They must win that round too in order to win outright.
However, if they are to lose the final round and remain on, at most 18 points, Essequibo could win the title if they win their last match with a bonus point and move to 19 points.
The two teams have seem a different approach to their wins with Essequibo having seen a number of individuals putting their hands up and pulling them over the line while Georgetown has been heavily dependent on a few performers.
The bulk of Georgetown’s runs have come from skipper Leon Johnson with scores of 70, 83 and 76 while Christopher Barnwell has chalked up scores of 83, 37 and 84. The pair has accounted for more than half the team’s total runs.
Essequibo has had the likes of Kemol Savory, Anthony Adams, Ricardo Adams, Kevon Boodie and even Ronsford Beaton getting amongst the runs.
In the bowling department, Beaton has been the strike bowler with the spinners doing the majority of the work while the defending champions have depended on their quicks with their spinners also doing well.
Both captains, Johnson and Anthony Adams have expressed the view that the contest is a crucial one to win and both teams are up for the challenge.
In the other contests, East Coast comes up against West Berbice at Bush Lot, West Berbice, Lower Corentyne faces East Bank at Everest Cricket Club and West Demerara battling Upper Corentyne at Port Mourant, East Berbice-Corentyne.
