NATIONAL wicketkeeper/batsman Derwin Christian, Imran Hassan and Robin Bacchus all struck opening-day centuries, as their respective team took first innings honours over their opponents, when the fourth round of action in Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)-organised Carib Beer/Friends of Cricket/Heroes Cup competition bowled off yesterday.
At the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, Christian struck a whirlwind 119 to steer the home team to 353 for 7 declared, after seeing Christopher Barnwell grab 5 for 7 to bowl out Transport Sports Club (TSC) for 75, following which Andrew Lyght Jr struck a pugnacious 99.
At the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, the home team bowled out Gandhi Youth Organisation (GYO) for 114 with Winston Forrester snaring 4 for 22 and replied with 213 for 1, thanks to Bacchus’ unbeaten 112.
At the Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) ground on Thomas Lands, MSC asked Police Sports Club (PSC) to take first strike and bowled them out for 114, with Danny Narayan taking 4 for 20 and replied with 305 for 6 at the close, with Hassan hitting a belligerent 102.
At Queenstown, TSC, asked to bat first, found it difficult to handle the bowling of Barnwell in the hazy conditions and crumbled easily, with Extras topscoring with 29, while Carl Rambharose led all batsmen with 20 that included four fours.
Barnwell received support from Totaram Bishun and Paul Wintz who took two wickets each for 16 and 18 runs respectively, before Lyght Jr. tore into the opposition bowling with disdain blasting 99 off 54 deliveries with 10 sixes and 7 fours.
He added 126 for the second wicket with Andrew Gibson 33 (3×4), reaching his 50 off 27 deliveries with six sixes and four fours, before he struck a delivery back to Kevin Ross (3-101), who also removed Gibson and bowled Barnwell, for 16.
However, Christian’s innings which took him 73 deliveries to accumulate and was decorated with 13 sixes and four fours, piloted DCC to a comfortable 258-run first innings lead, with his first 50 taking him 41 deliveries, of which he struck five sixes and one four.
Oslyn Batson supported Ross with the ball, by taking 3 for 105 for TSC, who were rocked by Andre Stoll (2 for 8) in their second innings, to be 46 for 4 at the close with Quinn Proctor who struck two fours in his 20, being their leading batsman.
He was, however, dismissed off the final delivery of the day’s play, caught and bowled by Barnwell, leaving Rambharose who was unbeaten on 10 and the remaining batsmen to score a further 212 to avoid an innings defeat.
At GCC, GYO were given an early setback, when they lost the wicket of national Under-19 opener Tagenarine Chanderpaul (0), from which they never recovered and were bowled out for 114, with Abdool Rahim topscoring with 32 that included five fours.
Forrester received support from Raj Nannan who took 3 for 22 and Bernard Bailey (2 for 22), following which Bacchus struck 14 fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 112, while Jeetendra Sookdeo has so far struck 10 fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 70, with Forrester being the lone casualty for GCC who ended the day at 213 for 1, when he was dismissed for 21 (3×4).
At the MSC ground on Thomas Lands, the home team asked PSC to take first strike and bowled them out for 114, after being 86 for 8 at lunch.
Ryan Rajmangal led his team’s batting with 24 (4×4), while Trevor Benn and Leon Crawford both made 15, with Steven Jacobs and Dion Ferrier offering support to Narayan with the ball, when they took two wickets each for 9 and 13 runs respectively.
When MSC batted, Hassan and Carlos La Rose carried their score to 117 without loss at the tea break, with Hassan being unbeaten on 84 and La Rose 32, the former posting his half-century from 33 deliveries with nine fours and one six.
When play resumed, Hassan took 31 more deliveries to get to his ton, counting 14 fours and five sixes in total, before he holed out to Rajmangal at long off, when he looked to hit Vishal Jaigobin over the boundary.
La Rose got to his half-century from 49 deliveries, hitting four fours and one six in the process before he was dismissed in similar fashion to Hassan, off the same bowler, while Jacobs rode his luck to hit six fours and two sixes in his 59, before he was caught off Benn.
Orin Forde was unbeaten on 21 (1×6) at the close of play, as MSC hold a lead of 191 and three wickets in hand, heading into the final day today, which will see all matches being completed.