Western Union Independence Cricket Festival …
TORONTO, Canada – A fine knock of 47 from Leon Johnson and a three-wicket burst from fast-medium bowler Christopher Barnwell earned a Guyana XI an emphatic 37-run victory over the Scarborough Cricket Association (SCA) in the final of the annual Western Union Guyana Cricket Festival 20/20 competition, played last Sunday at the L’Amoreaux Cricket Ground here.

Final scores were: Guyana 111 for four in 15 overs; SCA 74 for seven in 15.

The victory, witnessed by a bumper Sunday crowd, which included Guyana’s President Bharrat Jagdeo, Director of Sport Neil Kumar and Guyana’s Consul General in Toronto Danny Doobay, was sweet revenge for the Guyana team who lost to the same opponents last year.

Invited to take first strike in the reduced 15-over affair, Guyana suffered an immediate setback, losing the attacking Barnwell in the first over with only two runs on the tins.

THE Guyana team pose after Sunday’s victory. Skipper Sewnarine Chattergoon is extreme right (stooping). At extreme left (standing) is Guyana’s Director of Sport Neil Kumar while at extreme right (standing) is Guyana’s Consul General in Toronto, Danny Doobay.

However, the elegant Johnson and skipper Sewnarine Chattergoon steadied the innings with a second-wicket stand of 41 before the latter departed for 16.

The left-handed Johnson, who made his One-day International debut for the West Indies earlier this year, added a further 24 with Royston Crandon (18) while Assad Fudadin also chipped in with 18 as Guyana ended on a challenging 111 for four.

Johnson, who was stumped by former Guyana wicketkeeper Azib Ali Haniff off spinner Lalchand Persaud, struck two fours and a six in his 35-ball knock.

MVP Leon Johnson collects his award from one of the many sponsors. (Pictures by Frederick Halley)

Persaud finished with two for 27 off his three overs while there was a wicket each for national fast bowler Trevon Garraway, Kevin Murray and Baeharrylall for 14, 16 and 19 runs respectively.

SCA were given a bright start from captain Vishal Arjune (15) but once Barnwell got into the act by claiming the first three wickets, including that of Arjune, Ryan Lall and Haniff, there was a steady procession as the run rate climbed steeply. The consistent Barnwell finished with three for 11 while fast bowler Brandon Bess, who came on late in the innings, took two for seven from two overs.

Johnson was named MVP of the final.

Guyana had earlier reached the final of the four-team competition with a six-wicket win over the Toronto and District Cricket Association (T&DCA) XI.

The victory was engineered by a brilliant all-round performance from Royston Crandon who grabbed five for 18 in three overs and returned to slam a quick-fire 30 when Guyana batted.

Asked to take first strike, T&DCA reached 103 for nine in their allotted 15 overs with R. Yusuf hitting a top score of 25 while former national wicketkeeper Kenneth Wong supported with 22 from 17 deliveries with two towering sixes and Eion Katchay 15 with two sixes off just five balls. Barnwell was also in the act, claiming two for 12.

Guyana paced their innings well, getting to the required target in 14.1 overs with Crandon receiving solid support from Barnwell who struck two sixes in 21 (14 balls) and Johnson 20 off 24.

SCA qualified for the final after inflicting a five-wicket win over Etobicoke Cricket Association.

Requiring 80 to win in 15 overs after restricting the eventual losers to 79 for eight, SCA knocked off the required total in 13.3 overs with skipper Arjune leading from the front with 31 off 34 balls while Ryan Lall hit 21. For SCA, S. Beharrylall took two for 10, Garraway two for 18 and Persaud two for 22 in their allotted three overs. Arjune was adjudged the MVP for the winning team.

The tournament, held to celebrate Guyana’s 43rd Independence anniversary, was scheduled to be a 20-over affair but was reduced to 15 overs after a late start, due to the sodden condition of the ground following heavy rains the previous day.

At the presentation ceremony, Consul General Doobay congratulated the Guyana XI for winning while there were also special accolades for Western Union which was sponsoring the competition for the 14th straight year.

Caribbean Airlines, which also played a significant part in getting the cricketers to Canada, also came in for praise.

Director of Sport Neil Kumar, who also spoke at the presentation ceremony, congratulated Doobay and the organisers for a splendid job once more in staging the cricket tournament and the wide range of cultural activities and trade fair to mark the annual celebrations.