GCA/ Cummings Electrical/ P&P Insurance Raymond Panday second division..
-Gafoor hits maiden ton
NEWLY formed Ace Warriors, Transport Sports Club (TSC) and Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) all recorded victories in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/ Cummings Electrical/P&P Insurance sponsored Raymond Panday Memorial second division two- day competition yesterday.

At the Ghandi Youth Organization (GYO) ground, Ace Warriors on the back of a second innings maiden ton and along with a disciplined bowling attitude from Afzal Gafoor (146) defeated the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) by 156 runs in their encounter.

After scoring 218 in their first innings, thanks to Melroy Stephenson’s 144, Ace Warriors had already secured their first innings points at the end of the day, as they bowled out the Army boys for 150 and were shakily placed on 40-4 at the close.

They rallied to score 258, thanks to Gafoor’s innings which was decorated with 11 fours and 10 maximums, added with valuable support from Stephenson who struck seven fours in his 54 and skipper Delon Azore’s 32(3×4).

Vijay Singh (3-44), Corwyn Byrne (2-42) and Miguel Cort (2-55) were the leading wicket takers for GDF who needing to score 326 for victory got a rapturous start from Colin Mc Pherson (69) and Mark Haynes (54), the two adding 110 for the first wicket.

But with the dismissal of Mc Pherson, the innings went into decline and only Cort’s 21 at the bottom which included two lusty sixes off Gafoor (4-59), was the lone resistance to the Ace Warriors bowling which saw Azore (2-26) and James Grovesnor (2-36) offering support to Gafoor.

At DCC, the home team had a tough battle on their hands against Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC), before they managed to come away with a two wicket victory.

Replying to their opponents first innings score of 187, from which Paul Bevaughn (41), Alex Ramalho (30), national Under-19 opener Jeetendra Sookdeo (26) and Celvan Hayman (23) were the principal scorers against the bowling of Linden Lyght (3-16), Kevin George (3-43), Pravendra Jaigobin (2-19) and Jermaine Horatio (2-51), DCC declared their first innings close at 216-9.

Former Demerara under-19 skipper Denver Greaves (63, 5×4; 2×6), Kester Hardcourt (36), Jamal Hinckson (34) and George 27 were the leading batsmen for DCC against the bowling of Bevaughn who took 4-32 and Raj Nanan 3-48.

In their second innings, GCC were bowled out for 110, with Ellon Fernandes (46, 8×4) and Bevaughn 19 being the lone batsmen to offer resistance to George who took 5-27 for DCC who needing a mere 82 for victory, struggled to their target for the loss of eight wickets, thanks to Hinckson’s unbeaten 39 (4×4; 1×6), as Nanan (5-51) and Bevaughn with 2-24 tried desperately to give their team a come from behind victory.

At the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) ground, Transport Sports Club (TSC) had a tough battle on their hands against Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC), but they managed to come away with a 25 runs victory.

TSC batting first were bowled out for 150, with Kerwin Withers (45), Stephon Sampson (35) and Azim Azeez 23 being the batsmen who showed resistance to Dennis Legay who took 6-30 and Shaquille Williams’ 2-30.

MSC found the going rough when they replied and were bowled out for 61, as Imtiaz Pooran (3-13), Clyde Hoyte (3-15) and Shaun Massiah (2-11) ensured their team got first innings points, which they failed to build on, as they were bowled out for 136 in their second turn at the wicket.

Mark Nicholson 37 and Azeez 24 were the leading scorers against Williams who took 4-47 for MSC, who needed to score 225 for victory and were bowled out for 200, of which Vishal Narayan 49 (4×4; 3×6), Jamal Naughton 39 (4×4; 1×6) were the leading batsmen while Hoyte (5-40) and Pooran (3-35) bowled TSC to victory. (Calvin Roberts)