GEORGETOWN Cricket Club (GCC) booked a final spot in the Georgetown Cricket Association-sponsored New Building Society 40-over cricket tournament, after they completed a 16-run win over Police yesterday.

The hosts, GCC survived a sixth-wicket fright between Kemol Savory and Shemar Kendall, to defend their total of 210.

Earlier the hosts’ innings were reduced to 48-4, but they recovered, thanks to a 54-run fifth-wicket stand between Gavin Singh and Timothy McAlmont, and an attacking unbeaten 45 from Ronaldo Alimohamed at the back end of the innings.

The hosts’ innings was doomed from the start as medium pacer Eon Rodrigues removed both openers, Joshua Wade (6) and Kemraj Jaikarran (2), at 20-2.

Leg-spinner Hemchan Persaud then got into the act, claiming the wicket of Marlon Persaud for 19, while Rodrigues (3-36), removed Daniel Seegobin (5).

At that point, it seemed like the hosts were only going through the motions, but Singh and McAlmont staged the crucial recovery.

The pair settled down nicely and took the score to 102 before both were dismissed within seven balls. Singh hit three fours and a six in his 47, while McAlmont hit two fours in his 31. Persaud claimed the wicket of Singh, to finish with 2-33 while off-spinner Parnell London dismissed McAlmont.

Chatram Persaud and Bernard Bailey contributed 13 and 17 respectively as the momentum of the innings seemed to be falling off a bit. However, after their dismissal to medium pacer Keston Harcore (2-34), Alimohamed came up with a few big shots towards the end to give the hosts’ innings a rousing end.

The former West Indies youth player, who came in for the final two overs of the innings, smashed six sixes and a four. His brutal attack came in the final over off Parnell where he struck four sixes and a four. 

In the run chase, Police’s top-order was left clueless by medium pacer Bernard Bailey (3-28), and off-spinner Gavin Singh (2-14), at 45-5.

Bailey bowled a tidy line and length, and in the process got rid of both openers Reginald Rodrigues (4) and Andrew Lyght Jr (24), at 31-2.

However, the visitors then perished further, to a series of poor strokes. Kayle Michael (4) and Parnell London (1), were both dismissed by Singh, while Jason Heyliger was removed by Bailey without scoring.

Although the task ahead was becoming even more difficult, Savory and Kendall added 110 runs, but after their dismissal the remaining batsmen could not respond to the pressure.

Savory made 42, while Kendall hit 62, with five fours and a six. Alimohamed (1-37), and Seegobin (2-23), were the other successful bowlers.

GCC will now meet either DCC or UG in the final.