Upper Corentyne Free
Weekend take $400,000 first prize
ROYSTON Crandon’s crafty leadership was once again displayed when he led Upper Corentyne Free Weekend to a three wicket victory over Georgetown’s Free Text at the Guyana National Stadium on Saturday night in the final of the GCB/Digicel Summer Smash Twenty20 final.

Competing in the final of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Digicel Summer Smash Twenty20 tournament, Crandon, who led Universal DVD Club Berbice Titans to victory over power house Hotel Tower New Line Cavaliers in the second DJ Stress T20 Festival at the same venue one week ago, proved that such a victory was no fluke.

He won the toss and asked the City Side to take first strike before bowling them out for 122 from 19.5 overs, leading his side in the bowling with 3-16 from his four overs of steady off spin.

He later returned to hit a 14 ball 28 which was decorated with four fours and one six, as Upper Corentyne replied with 123-7 from 17.1 overs to take the beautiful Digicel trophy and the $400,000 cash prize it came with to the Ancient County.

In Georgetown’s innings, West Indies opener Travis Dowlin blazed his way to a 39 ball- 53 which was decorated with four fours and one six, but no other batsman managed to pass 15 with skipper Leon Johnson and Steven Jacobs both making 14.

Dowlin’s heroics with the bat came after national all rounder Esaun Crandon had sent back both openers in Christopher Barnwell and Trevon Griffith who both made two each within the first three overs of their team’s innings, as he finished with 2-20 from three overs.

From there onwards, it was an uphill struggle against the all spin attack that was in operation for Free Weekend, as Royston Crandon marshaled and received valuable support from his troops.

Dowlin took 38 balls  to post his half century, doing so with a six back over the head of Sewnarine Chattergoon and a four struck exquisitely through extra cover before he was stumped by Delbert Hicks off the next delivery to leave his team on 86-4 in the 13th over.

Devendra Bishoo continues to mesmerise local batsmen with his right arm leg spin, this time ending with 2-20 to support the Crandon siblings with the ball to stake a strong claim for selection on the national team that will contest the regional 20/20 tournament within the next two weeks.

When Free weekend began their response, they were rocked early in their innings by Trevon Garraway (2-12) and Barnwell (1-30) who left them on a shaky 7-3 in the third over of their innings.

It was Barnwell who started the slide when he removed Chattergoon (05, 1×4) who was caught by wicketkeeper Darwin Christian in the second over, while Garraway got a double strike in the third which was the first maiden in the final four of the tournament, when he removed Richard Ramdeen and Devon Clements without scoring.

Royston Crandon joined forces with West Indies ‘A’ team middle order batsman Assad Fudadin (31, 2×4; 1×6) and they carried the score to 49 before the former was caught by Kellon Carmichael at long on off Jacobs (1-19).

Fudadin found a useful ally in Jonathan Foo and they carried the score to 80 in the 13th over, before Fudadin offered Totaram Bishun (1-23) an easy return catch when he attempted to turn the ball to the onside for an easy single.

Foo was not fazed by Fudadin’s dismissal and showed same by hitting Bishun over midwicket for a four, followed by a six back over his head, before Rajiv Ivan was caught at the wicket off Dion Ferrier (2-20) at 104-6.

Hicks (08, 1×4) joined Foo and they took the score to within two runs of victory thanks to a Hicks’ four off Ferrier, before Foo was caught by Barnwell off Ferrier for a pugnacious 35 that took him 24 balls to compile and was decorated with two fours and one six.

His demise did not prevent his team from recording the victory as Hicks took an easy single off Ravi Sarwan to complete same with 2.5 overs to spare, making his team the lone one to play unbeaten in the tournament.

At the presentation ceremony that followed, Royston Crandon received $25,000 and a trophy after being adjudged man of the match, while he shared a $20,000 prize with Dowlin, Foo and Fudadin for the six they struck in their innings.

Johnson did not go home empty handed, apart from the $200,000 second place prize he received on behalf of his team, he was awarded $15,000 after being adjudged the player of the semi finals.