Another sizzling innings from Christopher Barnwell which was backed up by purposeful bowling from the Guyanese, secured a 26-run win for the Guyana Jaguars over North Tobago Sunday evening at the Brian Lara Cricket Stadium in the inaugural four-team UDeCOTT T10 International cricket tournament in Trinidad and Tobago.
The Guyanese staved off a brilliant all – round effort from Sunil Narine who was impactful with both ball and bat on the evening.
The evening began with North Tobago winning the toss and inserting the Guyanese who were off to a flying start. Openers Trevon Griffith and Chandrapaul Hemraj exercised their range with the latter smoking Narine for two sixes and a four in the second over to carry the score to 26-0 at the end of the second over.
Griffith continued the carnage by mowing Rayad Emrit for a six, first ball of the third over, followed up by an audacious reverse sweep before he was bowled off the fourth ball of the over for 18 to leave the score on 36-1.
His demise brought the inform Christopher Barnwell to the crease. He got into his stride quickly by cracking Emrit for consecutive boundaries either side of the wicket as Jaguars roared to 44-1 at the end of the third.
The two continued to chance their arms before Hemraj (27) was caught off the bowling of Kieron Pollard with the score 61-2 in the fifth over.
With the score sitting on 69 – 2 at the halfway point, Barnwell and Anthony Bramble muscled the ball around particularly Barnwell before he was bowled by Emrit for 44 at the beginning of the seventh over with Guyana 98 for 3.
Guyana finished on 130 for 7 from their allotted 10 overs courtesy of Bramble’s fluent knock of 25 at the end.
Narine, who got three wickets in the final over, ended as the pick of the bowlers along with Emrit who had two wickets.
North Tobago in response, were kept in check early on as seamer Clinton Pestano delivered a tidy first over to Mario Belcon which only yielded five runs. However, Narine took on Barnwell in the second over, swatting him for two maximums to carry North Tobago to 19-0 at end of two overs.
The opening pair took the total to 58-0 at the halfway point with Narine who dispatched a few more sixes off Devendra Bishoo threating on 36 while Belcon had 18 with the equation moving to 73 from five overs. Romaio Shepherd nonetheless provided the breakthrough skipper Leon Johnson was hoping for by removing Belcon (22) which brought the destructive Pollard to the crease.
He then tried to lock arms with his fellow IPL star Narine to take their side over the line. Shepherd though had other ideas and removed Narine for 44 in the eight over with the score on 75-2.
In the end, the Guyanese limited the host to 104-5 to secure the win with Pollard (25) being dismissed by Keemo Paul who was brilliant with the ball for the Guyanese, nabbing two wickets while Bravo (1) who came in late in the chase failed to have an effect on the match.
Guyana in their final preliminary match had defeated the Windward Islands on Saturday evening to book their place in the final. (Royston Alkins)
