A four-wicket haul followed by a half century from Thaddeus Lovell spurred Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) to the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ Toucan Distributors Under-15 title as his side defeated hosts, Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) by two wickets yesterday in a nail-biting affair.
The competition had been played under the 100-over format in the initial stage while the final was contested in the 50-over format. However, after a 45-minute delay due to rain, the match was reduced to 46 overs per side with GCC winning the toss and inserting the hosts. DCC posted 158 all out in 44.1 overs before GCC replied with 159-8 in 44.1 overs.
DCC’s innings was curtailed by National U-15 player, Lovell, who bagged 4-42. Lovell rocked the lower order to halt the hosts’ press in the back end of the innings as well as bagged their top scoring opener, Jadon Campbell. Campbell resisted GCC’s bowlers with a 63-ball 48 consisting of six fours and one six before edging a catch to the wicketkeeper.
GCC’s bowlers aided their nemesis’ total with 30 extras as only Jeremiah Hohenkir (19), Jonathan Van Lange (11) and Premkumar Permaul (11) reached double figures.
Lovell was supported by West Indies U-16 player Mavindra Dindyal, who returned 3-37 with his off-spin, and Krsna Singh with 1-16.
In the chase, Lovell anchored the innings with a brilliant 61 from 75 balls that featured six fours and three sixes, one of which was fetched over the main pavilion on square leg off of a free hit.
Before Lovell punched a simple catch to mid-off, he added 85 for the third wicket with Zachary Jodah. Jodah, who captained Guyana at the U-15 level, pushed on to make 27 from 59 balls, which featured two boundaries before a leading edge popped up the wicketkeeper.
Jodah’s dismissal, along with Lovell and Dindyal’s (07), energised the boisterous crowd as they cheered for DCC to continue their press and take wickets at regular intervals. With GCC 143-4, they slipped to 155-8 as Kareem Caesar (2-14) grabbed two quick wickets including Singh, who was dismissed for 14.
However, a few misfields and wides allowed GCC to edge closer to the target before Jeremiah Singh trickled down to third man and ran two to seal victory and ensure GCC were $30,000 richer.
During the presentation, General Manager of Toucan Distributors, Lenny Shuffler, said he was pleased to see the level of competition between the two sides, while indicating that he has seen potential in players to make it onto the West Indies team.
Meanwhile, Vice-President of the GCA Neil Barry commended the coaches for maintaining the level of training which would have resulted in the longstanding rivalry between the two dominant clubs carrying on throughout generations.
At the end of the tournament, the best bowling performance came from Josh Alves of Bel Air Rubis with 4-12 against Transport Sports Club, while Dindyal stroked the highest score with 67 against the runners-up.
Jaden Dowlin, son of former West Indies and Guyana batsman now selector, Travis Dowlin, copped the most wickets. He took nine scalps at an average of 3.8 with his off-spin. His teammate, Campbell ended as the leading run scorer with an aggregate of 111. Dindyal and Nicholas Sheopersaud were named the most valuable players of Zones A and B respectively.
