Pitbulls and President’s XI to contest Sunday’s final
FOLLOWING commanding victories over West Berbice Super Kings and Church’s Chicken Corentyne Titans, Gizmos and Gadgets Georgetown Pitbulls and President’s XI will collide in Sunday’s final of this year’s Guyana Cricket Board-organised, Carib Beer/Pepsi-sponsored Twenty20 competition at the Albion Community Centre ground. Competing in the semifinals at the Georgetown Cricket Club ground yesterday, Georgetown Pitbulls, who were led by West Indies T20 all-rounder Christopher Barnwell, defeated the Super Kings by 29 runs in the first match, bowling out their opponents for 122 in reply to their 151 for 5.
In the second semifinal, Mother Nature had her way after the President’s XI won the toss and scored 144 for 5 from their 20 overs and limited their opponents to 36 for 4 off 6 overs in reply, when they should have been 51 for 4.
In the first matchup, the Super Kings asked the Pitbulls to take first strike and must have regretted doing so, after seeing national opener Trevon Griffith strike Brandon Bess back over long off twice for six, which was preceded by an audacious drive through extra cover for four.
In his haste to hit Eon Abel (2 for 16) over long off for another six, Griffith picked out Bess at the same position for 31 (2×6, 2×4) and his demise was followed by that of West Indies ‘A’ team batsman Leon Johnson who was caught at the wicket by Kwesi Mentore off Abel for 06, to leave the Pitbulls on 58 for 2.
Barnwell joined forces with Rajendra Chandrika and together they added 35 for the third wicket, before Barnwell who struck three sixes in his robust 27, was caught by Keith Fraser at deep square-leg off Keon Joseph (2 for 23).
Chandrika added a further 44 for the fourth wicket with Steven Jacobs who made 21 (2×4), before he (Chandrika) was caught by Abel off Joseph.
When the Super Kings Berbice team responded, they lost the early wicket of guest player and national T20 opener Richard Ramdeen who was dismissed without scoring by Jacobs and despite some hitting from Karamdat Bissoondyal who top scored with 46 (4×4, 1×6), Mentore 20 (3×4) and Abel 16, they folded under their required target.
Left-arm back-of-the-hand spinner Totaram Bishun was their tormentor, picking up 4 for 27 to follow up on his 6 for 16 taken against the Noble House Seafoods Young Conquerors in his team’s previous match, while Dion Ferrier with 3 for 15 and Jacobs 2 for 27 offered support.
In the second semifinal, skipper Vishal Singh led from the front with an even half-century that was decorated with three fours and along with Dillon Heyliger’s authoritative 35 that included two massive sixes struck off Veerasammy Permaul and Royston Crandon respectively, guided their team to 144 for 5.
Opener Elton Baker offered support with his patient 25 (2×4), as Narsingh Deonarine who took 2 for 20 bowled responsibly for the Corentyne Titans, who lost wickets at regular intervals when they replied in mild overcast conditions.
In fact, their innings got under way 20 minutes late, due to the late arrival of the Duckworth/Lewis breakdown and when play got under way, Sewnarine Chattergoon (9) struck Jason Heyliger’s first delivery of his team’s second over, over forward square-leg for 6.
At 15 after two overs, the Titans were comfortably ahead of the run rate, but suddenly and for reasons unknown, they lost wickets at regular intervals, thanks to the off-spin of Eon Hooper.
Chattergoon was the first to go, caught by Dillon Heyliger at wide midwicket and he was quickly followed by Deonarine (0) and Royston Crandon (5) who were both lbw to Hooper and when Ronsford Beaton had Rajiv Ivan caught at point by Dillon Heyliger for 2, Corentyne Titans were shakily placed on 31 for 4.
Assad Fudadin who was unbeaten on 16 (2×4), eased their pains with a deft flick to fine leg off Beaton that pushed the score to 36 for 4, but just as Hooper was about to commence his fourth and final over and the seventh of the Titans’ innings, the heavens opened and forced the players off the field.
Hooper ended with 3 for 11 while Beaton had one for 14 at that stage and even though the umpires made an attempt to restart play at 16:5hrs, a damp boundary area at the southern side of the venue prevented any further play, thus handing the President’s XI victory.
On Sunday, West Berbice Super Kings and Corentyne Titans will do battle in the third place playoff from 09:00hrs, while the Pitbulls and President’s XI will do battle in the final from 13:30hrs, with the winner walking away with the G$1M first prize.