– GCC and GNIC to replay match
A solid all round performance from veteran all rounder Dennis ‘Bitterman’ Squires was enough to guide host Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) to a comfortable and exciting 40- run victory over Everest Cricket Club (ECC) in the second semi-final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Digicel Twenty20 first division competition yesterday.
The first scheduled semi-final encounter between Georgetown cricket Club (GCC) and the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) did not materialised due to a wet pitch, forcing the GCA’s Competitions Committee to replay same at a later date.
However, the DCC/ECC encounter served as perfect Sunday afternoon entertainment to those who were gathered at the venue, including former and present president of the GCA in Alfred Mentore and Roger Harper respectively, along with Chairman of the West Indies selection committee Clyde Butts.
The home team were asked to take first strike by their guests and thanks to some swashbuckling hitting from Squires who struck both Charles Ramson Jnr and Troy Gonsalves for back to back sixes in his 32, along with Jamal Hinckson who made a belligerent 34 with three sixes, reached 160 before they were bowled out off the final delivery of their innings.
In reply, ECC were choked by the spin/medium pace combination that was in operation for DCC and were bowled out for 120 from 18.5 overs, despite being 59-2 at one stage, thanks to Squires who took 3-17 with his off- spinners..
Hinckson’s three sixes were struck off the bowling of Christopher Surat, with two of them coming off successive deliveries, before he was caught by national Under-19 leg spinner Amir Khan at deep backward square off Troy Gonsalves’ first delivery.
DCC were 97-4 at Hinckson’s demise, with Trevon Griffith (17, 2×4; 1×6), Andrew Lyght Jnr 15, (1×4; 1×6) and Cowen Ismond (09) all back in the pavilion, before Squires entered the scene and along with Denver Greaves who made a supporting 32 (1×6), took the attack to the Camp Road based club.
However, the Queenstown club found it hard to resist the bowling of Khan, who despite being struck for a maximum over midwicket by Greaves followed by four off the bat of Squires, responded to send Squires back into the pavilion  to  end with 3-19 and Gonsalves 2-22.
When ECC began their reply, they raced to 59-2 inside six overs, with skipper Ahbilash Deokie (21; 3×6)displaying his ability to hit the ball hard, when he struck Leroy Primo over midwicket for six, after hitting the same bowler back over his head for another one of his three sixes.
But when he was caught at the wicket by Greaves two balls after he struck Primo for his third six, ECC’s batting faded like the sunlight in the yuletide season, even though Khan tried to restore some order with two sixes in his aggressive 23.
Squires created the damage after Primo removed Deokie, even though Chanderpaul Hemraj offered some support with the bat, hitting four fours and one six in his top score of 26,a sonly Khan offered resistance to Squires who along with Primo (2-21) and Utam Munroe and Totaram Bishun who took 2-23 each, ensured DCC book their place in the finals.