Phagwah Mel T20 match …
LEFT-ARM orthodox spinner Raj Nanan grabbed 4-16 to earn himself the man-of-the-match award, as Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) humbled Demerara Cricket Club by 49 runs in a specially arranged Twenty20 dubbed the ‘Phagwah Mela’ at the DCC ground yesterday. Winning the toss and opting to bat first, GCC reached 170-6 from their 20 overs with discarded national middle order batsman Vishal Singh and Ellon Fernandes leading the way with 42 each, while Leon Johnson and Gavin Singh offered support with 37 and 21 not out respectively.

None of the home-team bowlers managed to pick up more than one wicket, but when they batted, they found the bowling of Nanan, who was supported by Johnson who grabbed 2-11, too much to handle and folded for 129 from 17.3 overs.

When GCC batted, they got a vibrant start from Vishal Singh and Jeetendra Sookdeo, with the former hitting discarded national all-rounder Christopher Barnwell for two boundaries in his first over, followed by three more fours in Utam Munroe’s first over.

Sookdeo also pulled Kester Harcourt’s first delivery over wide long on for a maximum, followed by another over backward square leg from Barnwell, before he was caught by wicketkeeper Denver Greaves when he miscued a pull from a short delivery from Barnwell.

Vishal Singh, who was dropped by Greaves off Barnwell when on 32 with GCC on 62-1 in the seventh over, added 65 with Ellon Fernandes who had struck both Dennis Squires and Trevon Griffith for maximums, before Singh was run-out by Greaves when he went for a single that was not there.

He faced 26 balls and struck eight fours in his 42, while Fernandes hit both Squires and Trevon Griffith for maximums, followed by another six off Harcourt as GCC reached 100 in the 13th over of their innings.

They lost Fernandes who struck three fours and the same number of sixes in his 42 made off 32 deliveries and Johnson who faced 26 balls for his 37 with four fours and one six and it took some lusty hitting from Gavin Singh who struck the final two deliveries of his team’s innings for maximums to push them to what became a winning total.

DCC’s reply got off to a flyer, with Barnwell who, like Vishal Singh, was overlooked by the national selectors for Guyana’s final two matches in the West Indies Cricket Board four-day competition, hitting young Joshua Wade (1-24) for 6, 4, 6 in the space of four balls.

But he lost West Indies youth opener Trevon Griffith who was caught by Johnson at short midwicket off Wade when he miscued a short delivery, before he (Barnwell) was caught by Delon Fernandes, one of two catches by the fielder at long on off Nanan who bowled with control and guile.

Andrew Lyght Jr who struck both Sookdeo and Kevin Ogle for sixes before he was lbw to Nanan for his 19 made off 12 deliveries and Squires (21) who took 19 off one over from Sookdeo, tried to take their team to the victory target, but the GCC side would have none of that.

Lyght Jr was lbw to a low full toss from Nanan while Squires was caught by Wade at long off when he attempted to hit Johnson’s first delivery over that area, and DCC, who had the privilege of having former West Indies off-spinner Lance Gibbs, top commentator Joseph ‘Reds’ Perreira and later the West Indies team witness their run chase, fell short 49 runs.

Nanan received $5 000 for his man-of-the-match efforts and according to president of DCC and former president of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Alfred Mentore, a four-team Easter Weekend 20/20 bash is on the cards involving GCC, DCC, New Line Cavaliers and another team.