inspires GNIC to Haier Cup title  
MIDDLE-order batsman David Dick stroked a workmanlike 77 which piloted the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) to a comfortable 66 runs victory over host Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) in the final of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) Haier Cup second division competition yesterday.

Winning the toss and opting to take first strike, GNIC reached an imposing 289-7 from their 40 overs, thanks to Dick’s man- of- the- match innings which took him 63 balls to accumulate and was decorated with five fours and the same number of sixes.

Earlier, Quincy Ovid Richardson struck one four in his 47 balls 28 while adding 51 for the first wicket with Marvin Munroe who also made 28 from 35 deliveries with four fours before he was bowled by DCC’s skipper Lyndon Lyght (2-36).

Elton Baker 30 (5×4), Ranole Bourne 31 (2×4; 2×6) and Dexter Solomon who made an unbeaten 37 off 13 balls with three sixes and two fours, offered support to Dick who added 60 for the fifth wicket with Bourne who hoisted Lyght for back to back sixes before he was bowled by the same bowler.

Dick’s pugnacious knock came to an end when he picked out Lawrence Smith on the deep midwicket boundary while attempting to hit Cowen Ismond, who took 2-48 from his four overs, for his sixth six of his innings, one that propelled his team to their final total.

DCC’s reply got a shotgun start, with Ismond who struck a whirlwind 65 from 54 deliveries with eight fours and one six, hitting both Jermaine Grovesnor( 2-33) and Rawle Merrell for back to back boundaries in the first two overs.

Smith (06; 1×4) was his partner, but after hitting Grovesnor for a four, he was caught at the wicket by Solomon two deliveries later to leave DCC on 24-1 in the second over of their innings.

Watched by the relatives of the late Lennox Hunte a former DCC administrator who was laid to rest last Friday, Ismond continued to take the attack to the Woolford Avenue based GNIC bowlers with a bended knee six over long on off Grovesnor.

Even though he lost Rohan Ramnauth (08) at 54-2 in the eighth over, he found a useful ally in Jahron Byron (36; 2×4) and they added 68 for the third wicket before they were both dismissed in the space of three deliveries, with Ismond holding out to Grovesnor at long off when he attempted to hit Premchand Sookdeo (2-33) over that position while Byron was stumped by Solomon off the same bowler.
From the comfortable position of 122-2, DCC slipped to 164-6 losing Denver Greaves who struck two sixes in his 19 and Jermaine Horatio (05) along with Ismond and Byron, which handed GNIC a firm grip on the match that they refused to loosen.

Despite some lusty hitting from Dennis ‘Bitterman’ Squires who struck two fours and one six in his 21, along with Edward Burnette’s 18 ball 19 that included one six and a four and Leroy Primo’s unbeaten 15, DCC failed to reach their target as they were bowled out for 223 from 35.2 overs.

Skipper Orlando Fraser led from the front for GNIC by taking 3-39 from his eight overs and received support from Sookdeo and Grovesnor who took two wickets each for 33 runs.

Both GNIC and DCC advanced to the final with commanding semifinal victories scored on the previous day over Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) and Everest Cricket Club respectively.

At the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) ground, DCC toppled MSC by seven wickets in a one sided affair thanks to the bowling of Horatio and the batting of Squires, while GNIC sent Everest packing with a nine wickets victory at the world renowned Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground.

Bating first at GDF, MSC were bowled out for a meager 86 runs from 21.1 overs, with only Vishal Narayan who made 14 offering resistance to Horatio who picked up 5-22 and Burnette who supported with 4-29.

In reply, DCC reached 90-3 from 18.2 overs thanks to Squires’ unbeaten 40 that included five fours and two sixes while Byron offered support with his unbeaten 22 that was decorated with three fours even as Seon Daniels took 2-22 for the Thomas Lands based MSC team.

At GCC, GNIC bowled out Everest for 165 runs from 35 overs, despite a fighting half century from Chanderpaul Hemraj who scored 62 (4×4; 1×6), against the bowling of Merrell and Grovesnor who took two wickets each for 18 and 32 runs respectively.

GNIC replied with 166 -1 from 28.2 overs, compliments of unbeaten half centuries from Elton Baker who struck eight fours in his 80 and Ovid Richardson who stroked three fours in his unbeaten 56.

For his man- of- the- match efforts, Dick who was also named the best batsman of the finals won for himself a trophy, 21 inch Haier television and a Haier microwave oven while Fraser who was adjudged the best bowler of the final, received one Haier microwave oven and trophy.