Jacobs, Crosse help MSC to first innings points
… Johnson, Singh hit half-centuries for GCC
RESILIENT batting from West Indies Under-19 selectee Kwame Crosse, along with controlled spin bowling from skipper Steven Jacobs, was enough to give Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) first innings points over the Guyana Defence Force (GDF) at the end of the first day of their Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)/Carib Beer/Friends of Cricket first division tournament yesterday.
Replying to the home team’s score of 135, of which discarded national opener Shemroy Barrington topscored with 43 (4×4, 1×6) against the bowling of Jacobs (4-57), MSC reached 150 for 2 with Crosse hitting an unbeaten 65.
At the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, the home team were made to fight in their matchup against Georgetown Cricket Club, who reached 214 for 8 at the close of play, thanks to half-centuries from Leon Johnson and Vishal Singh.
At Camp Ayanganna, the home team won the toss and opted to take first strike in the match that got under way one hour late due to early morning showers but struggled against the pace spin combination that was in operation for MSC.
Seon Daniels ended with 3-27 from 8.4 overs and Steven Sankar (2-13) offered genuine support to Jacobs, as only Esaun Crandon 19 (2×4, 1×6), Paul Castello 17 (1×4) and Dillon Heyliger 16 (3×4) showed any resistance.
When the Thomas Lands-based MSC began their reply, they lost Nkosi Baker (15), but Crosse and Vishal Narayan 23 (1×4) added 55 for the second wicket before Narayan, who was earlier given a life by wicketkeeper Mark Rhobe when on 20 off Ameer Khan, lost his off stump to the same bowler two overs later.
Jacobs joined Crosse who reached his 50 from 85 deliveries with seven fours while batting for 120 minutes and at the close, took their team to their eventual total, with Jacobs who struck Barrington for a four and six over long on off successive deliveries, contributing 28 to their unbeaten 51-run, third-wicket partnership.
Over at DCC, play got under way after the lunch break due to seepage on the pitch. GCC raced to 28 without loss in three overs, thanks to Robin Bacchus’s aggressive 19 that included two fours and one six.
One of his fours and the lone six were struck in the first over of the match that was bowled by Christopher Barnwell, who removed the dangerous-looking Bacchus via lbw.
But thanks to Johnson’s 56 that was decorated with four fours and three sixes, Singh’s 55 (4×4) and Treon Forde’s 24 that included two sixes, GCC crawled to 214 for 8 off 79 overs, with Totaram Bishun taking 4-80, while Barnwell and Kester George have so far taken two wickets each for 33 and 40 runs respectively.
Play in the Transport Sports Club (TSC)/Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) encounter was called off without a ball being bowled at the Police Sports Club, Eve Leary ground, since the rain rendered the pitch and the ground unsuitable for play.
Action in both the DCC/GCC and MSC/GDF encounters will continue today from 09:30 h, weather permitting.