Guyana Defence Force (GDF) opening batsman Shamal Angel blasted a 62-ball 93, which paved the way for his side’s 55-run victory over the Muslim Youth Organisation (MYO) yesterday as play in the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA) Pepsi 1st Division 50-over continued.
Playing at home, the army men won the toss and elected to bat, starting slowly as Angel lost his opening partner Hakeem David (3) in the fourth over to Suresh Dhanai. It was from that point that Angel cut loose as he partnered with Keith Simpson in a 32-run partnership, taking their side from 10-1 to 42 before Simpson was out caught for 15 to become Dhanai’s second scalp.
From there, wickets fell consistently despite Angel’s continued aggression. No other batsmen other than Angel, Simpson, and tailender Joshua Jones would pass double figures for GDF. By the time Angel fell for his well-played 93, which included six fours and a whopping nine sixes, GDF was in trouble at 130/6.
It was only thanks to Jones’ 18 (6sx2) and bits and pieces of contributions from Travis Marcellino (7), Delshawn McDonald (8 not out), and 15 extras thanks to MYO’s bowlers that GDF finished on a decent total of 179 all out in 33.1 overs. Salim Khan, who returned figures of 4/49 (10 overs), was impressive for the MYO cadre of bowlers and received support from Dhanai and Joshua Harrichand, who had 2/33 (7 overs) and 2/32 (8.1 overs), respectively.
Needing 180 for victory, MYO started steadily before Leon Andrews had Andrew Lyght (17) out caught, leaving them at 22/1 in the fourth over. Two more wickets fell quickly as Lyght’s opening partner Ricardo Ramdehol (7) followed via the LBW route to Keith Simpson’s bowling while Keon Roberts was bowled by Andrews for a run-a-ball 18.
At 47/3, MYO’s ever-dependable Suresh Dhanai and Vishwanauth Ramlakhan forged a 59-run fourth wicket partnership to take their side to a solid position before Dhanai fell for 45 from 34 deliveries punctuated by three fours and four sixes. Dhanai was out LBW to Damian Waldron, leaving MYO within sight of victory at 106.
However, a mercurial middle-order collapse took them right out of the game as they lost their last six wickets for just 28 runs.
Zameer Nazeem was the architect behind the collapse as he took three wickets, trapping Dexter Solomon (1) LBW, bowling Chien Gittens (1), and having Ramlakhan (11) caught, breaking the backbone of MYO’s run-chase in the process.
Bowled out for 124 in 30.5 overs, MYO went from a position of strength to a simpering heap in the blink of an eye to cede a 55-run loss to GDF.
Nazeem ended with 3/20 (8 overs) and was well backed up by Andrews (2/49, 6 overs) and Waldron (2/18, 5 overs). For his swashbuckling 93, Angel was named man-of-the-match.
The GCA/Pepsi 1st Division 50-over competition will continue today at the GDF Ground, with MYO looking to shake off defeat against GNIC. That match starts at 9:30 a.m.
