GCA/Nero Cup
WEST Indies Cricket Board (WICB) Chairman of selectors and former national off spinner Clyde Butts rolled back the years yesterday for Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) who bowled out Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) to gain control at the end of the first day of their Georgetown Cricket Association/Nero Cup first division competition. Winnings the toss and opting to take first strike on a flat Guyana Defence Force (GDF) pitch, MSC found the guile of the 53 year- old Butts who played seven Test matches and took 10 wickets at an average of 59.50 for the West Indies too much to handle and crumbled for 75.
Shaquille Williams led the batting with a determined 20 that was decorated with two fours, while Danny Narayan also struck two fours in his 17 and Safraz Esau one six in his 15 as Butts received support from leg spinner Ranole Bourne who took 2-31.
In GNIC’s reply, Elton Baker struck an unbeaten 62 decorated with five fours and one six, Shawn De Souza 40 (6×4, 1×6), Quincy Ovid Richardson 28 (2×4; 1×6) and Bourne and unbeaten 26 that included three fours, as their team reached 172-5 against the bowling of Seon Daniels and Dion Ferrier who took 3-35 and 2-20 respectively.
This match will conclude next Sunday, as GNIC will be involved in the GCA/Digicel T20 final where they will engage Demerara Cricket Club at the GDF ground.
Across at the Police Sports Club (PSC) ground, both the home team and the GDF decided to end their match early, with PSC being forced to settle for first innings points.
Resuming on their overnight 50-2 in reply to PSC’s 248 with discarded national opener Shemroy Barrington on 33, GDF folded without much resistance for 160, with Barrington going on to make 56 while Essequibo born off spinner Jason Heyliger continues to make waves in Demerara by grabbing 8-44.
Batting a second time with a lead of 88, PSC reached 139-6 of which Shameer Fazal struck his second half century of the match, this time an unbeaten 50 against the bowling of Trevon Garraway (another Essequibo born player) and Jeremiah Harris who took 3-29 and 2-25 before the captains called off the match.