Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) eased to a five-wicket victory over Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) yesterday in the Georgetown Cricket Association/New Building Society 40-overs, second-division tournament.
Winning the toss at home, GCC inserted the visitors to bat. GYO made a valiant effort under the glorious sunshine to muster 192 in 39.4 overs. In reply, GCC cruised to 193-5 in 36.1 overs.
Off-spinner, Winston Forrester made his return to local cricket known, bagging 4-40 for GCC while left-arm spinner, Stephon Wilson and seamer, Bernard Bailey, claimed two wickets each for 35 and 33 runs respectively.
GYO were off to a good start from their openers with Chris Deonarine racing to 24 from 18 balls. Deonarine’s short-lived knock included three fours and a six but was cut short after he held out to Carlos La Rose off of Bailey.
His opening partner, Yeudistir Persaud also found his footing with a painstaking 43-ball 23 but failed to carry on as Wilson scattered his stumps.
With Anand Bharrat departing soon after for 18, it was Joshua Ramsammy and Neiland Cadogan who milked the GCC bowlers in a 52-run stand for the fourth wicket. Both batsmen scored 36 runs and
that partnership was broken after Cadogan top edged a Forrester delivery to second slip. Cadogan stroked three sixes, two of which ended up in the Rohan Kanhai Stand over long on while Ramsammy was more conservative with a single boundary in his 47-ball innings.
Meanwhile, a 17-ball 25 from Michael Deonarine ensured GYO gave their bowlers a score to work with.
GCC’s chase was off to a flyer with Jeetendra Sookdeo (37) and Timothy McAlmont (23) sharing in a 69-run opening stand.
Sookdeo was fortunate to survive some close calls to hit five fours and one six in his 44-ball knock before holding out to long off.
McAlmont and Mavindra Dindyal joined forces to put on 51, but it was leg-spinner, Trevon France who pegged the game back for GYO with two quick wickets, removing McAlmont and Deonarine Seegobin to end with 2-23.
Eon Hooper returned to remove Dindyal for 28 and end with 2-26 while Forrester, with bat in hand, hammered a 58-ball 38 before being caught at midwicket off of Joshua Ramsammy.
Nevertheless, Ronaldo Ali-Mohamed and Bailey steered their team over the line with unbeaten cameos of 32 and 12 respectively.
