GCB/Digicel Summer Smash …
SKIPPER Leon Johnson struck an unbeaten half-century to steer his side Georgetown Flex Text to an eight-wicket victory over East Coast’s Flex Check and a place in the final of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Digicel Summer Smash Twenty20 yesterday at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence. Winning the toss and opting to bat first on a good batting track, East Coast found the bowling of Dion Ferrier (3-17) too hot to handle and were limited to 110-7 from their 20 overs, despite a solid 33-run opening partnership between Ryan Ramdass 29 (3×4) and Krishna Arjune 21 (2×4, 1×6).
Wasim Haslim 19 (1×4) and skipper Zaheer Mohammed (18) offered support to the openers, but the other batsmen struggled to get the ball away, especially in the latter half of their team’s innings.
When Georgetown began their reply, the pugnacious pair of Christopher Barnwell and Trevon Griffith, who both made 24, added 37 for the first wicket, before the former, who had struck Clive Andries over long on for six, was caught by wicketkeeper Denver Greaves off the next delivery.
Griffith continued with his cautious approach in partnership with Johnson as they added 33 for the second wicket, before Griffith, a former national and West Indies Youth opener was caught by Andries at long off when he attempted to hit Haslim over the ropes.
Steven Jacobs joined Johnson who was struggling to get the ball away in the earlier stage of his innings, but they withstood the challenge from the spin-based attack that was thrown at them to see their team home in the final over with three balls to spare.
Fittingly, it was Johnson who finished the match when he struck left-arm orthodox spinner Imran Khan for a six over midwicket followed by a four – his fourth of his unbeaten innings – back over the bowler’s head, to seal the win for his team and a place in the final.
The final, along with the third place playoff and the 10 overs-a-side exhibition match, featuring the national female squad at the same venue will be played today. The exhibition match will commence at 14:00 h and the third place playoff at 16:10 h.
The victorious team in the final which commences at 19:00 h will pocket $400 000 while the runners-up will receive $200 000 and the losing semi-finalists $50 000, among other cash prizes that are up for grabs, being sponsored to the tune of $1M by telecommunications provider Digicel.