FOUR batsmen, namely Tagenarine Chanderpaul, Christopher Barnwell, Krishna Arjune and Shemroy Barrington, struck half centuries for their respective clubs yesterday, when the second round of the Georgetown Cricket Association/Carib Beer first division T20 competition was contested at the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) ground.Chanderpaul struck six fours and three sixes in his 54- ball 69 for Everest Cricket Club, who went under to defending champions Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) by five wickets in the first encounter, with Barnwell hitting a belligerent 37 balls 66 that was decorated with seven sixes and two fours.
In the second match, Arjune blasted eight fours and two sixes in his 66 which steered Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) to a hard fought eight runs victory over the host club, for whom Barrington topscored with 61 (5×4, 3×6).
In the first game of the day’s double header, the 18 year old Chanderpaul, who posted his half century from 45 deliveries by hitting Barnwell for one of his three sixes, steered Everest to 138 for 4 from their 20 overs, with Joseph Perry 23 (1×6, 1×4) and Amir Khan’s unbeaten 18 offering support.
When DCC batted, they slipped to 26 for 3, losing the wickets of Trevon Griffith and Brain Sattaur, who both made 13, and Andrew Lyght Jnr for duck, before Barnwell and Jamal Hinckson (34, 2×6; 1×4) added 96 for the fourth wicket from 9.1 overs.
They were both dismissed with 19 runs needed, with Barnwell, whose 50 was realised off 31 balls and decorated with five sixes and two fours, holding out to Chanderpaul at long on off Garfield De Rouche (2 for 35), before Derwin Christian and Dennis Squires steered DCC to 139 for 5 from 17 overs, even as Christopher Surat supported De Rouche with his 2 for 15.
In the second game, GNIC won the toss and chose to bat first, a decision that backfired on them as they lost Quincy Ovid-Richardson, who was caught at the wicket off Kellon Carmichael (1 for 33) for 4 in the first over.
Arjune and Marc Nichols (33 (4×4, 2×6) posted 57 for the second wicket, before the latter was bowled by Lennox Cush (1 for 26), allowing Royston Crandon (36, 2×6; 1×4) to add a valuable 85 for the third wicket with Arjune.
Guyana Cricket Board Senior Chairman of Selectors Rayon Griffith chipped in with a valuable 17 (2×4, 1×6) late in GNIC’s innings, as they posted 190 for 6 from their 20 overs.
In reply, MSC managed to score 182 for 7, with Barrington hitting a responsible 61 (5×4, 3×6), Kareem Naughton an unbeaten 25 (2×6, 1×4) and his brother Kiefer 20 which included three sixes, against the bowling of Ranole Bourne, Crandon and Rawle Merrel, who took 2 wickets each for 22, 23 and 43 runs respectively.
The action will continue today with double-headers at both the MSC and Police Sports Club ground commencing at 0:930hrs and 13:30hrs respectively. Transport Sports Club take on Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) and Police looking to arrest Georgetown Cricket Club, with both matches being played at Eve Leary.
Across at MSC, DCC will take on GNIC in the first game, while the home team will go head to head with Everest in the second, with the hope of chalking up their first win of the tournament, following their losses to the contestants of the first match today.

(By Calvin Roberts)