PROMISING to turn up to the party for his team Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ‘A’, Andrew Gibson certainly did so with a magnificent unbeaten ton which

revived his team’s innings, but was not enough to give them victory, as they succumbed to DCC ‘B’ by five wickets, losing the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) organized David Persaud Investments Under-19 title at the Everest Cricket Club ground yesterday.

Scores: DCC ‘A’ 223 for 9, DCC ‘B’ 225 for 5.

DCC ‘A’ were rocked early by Under-15 speedster and man of the match Kemo Paul (4-49) and Rajiv Balgobin (2-44), who left them precariously placed on 23 for 4, before reaching 223 for 9 from their 50 overs, thanks to Gibson’s 112 and Orlando Sturge’s 47.
When DCC ‘B’ batted, Savory who topscored with 69 and Renaldo Renee 36 added 107 for the first wicket, but it was the fireworks that came from the bat of Paul who struck five fours and one six in his unbeaten 45, which powered them to 225 for 5 from 44.2 overs.
Gibson, who was given a life by Renee off Balgobin early in his innings, and Sturge repaired the damage for their team with a 145 runs fifth wicket partnership.
This followed the demise of brothers Khemraj and Sunil Rupee who made 03 and 01 respectively along with Michael Shalim (00),who were all sent back by Paul, while Balgobin accounted for the ‘A’ team’s skipper Omesh Dhanram (05), which reduced DCC ‘A’ to 23 for 4.
Gibson and Sturge commenced ‘Operation Recovery’ for their team in dramatic fashion, with Gibson saying thank you to his opponents for the chance given to him, by opening his account with two fours off Balgobin.
Sturge was content on rotating the strike to get a set Gibson, who posted his first half century from 79 balls with seven fours, on strike.
They realised their team’s 100 in the 30th over, while Gibson motored to his ton, hitting an additional four fours and his lone six struck over midwicket off Xaviee Smith, before Sturge was given a life by Deron Crandon who dropped a straight forward chance at long on off Smith, with the loose ball nestling against the boundary ropes.
It took a run out by Michael Herbert whose return to Kemal Savory found Sturge struggling to make his ground after he made a resilient 47 off 95 deliveries with five fours and one six, which helped rescue his side from the perilous position they found themselves in taking them to 168 for 5 in the 42nd over.
In their hunt for quick runs, DCC ‘A’ lost Clitus Johnson for 19 which included a six struck off a Balgobin no ball, while Gibson eased a red hot Paul through extra cover for one of his 11 fours struck overall, before the overs expired in the DCC ‘A’ team’s innings.
Savory and Renee got the ‘B’ team’s reply off to a canter, with Savory hitting national Under-19 fast bowler Dexter George for a hat trick of fours off successive deliveries with the greatest of ease, prompting lots of heckling from his teammates.
They raced to 50 from 10.2 overs, when Savory eased Shalim in nonchalant fashion past extra cover for four, before he struck the same bowler between mid-on and midwicket with the greatest of ease for another boundary, as DCC ‘B’ set about hunting down their target purposefully.
Not to be outdone, Renee showed he was a competent opening partner for Savory, by graciously driving Dhanram between cover and extra cover for four, pushing the score to 66 without loss at the end of the 17th over.
They added 107 from 24.3 overs, before Renee who had earlier struck both Shalim and David Mohammed who took 3 for 48, for boundaries, was adjudged lbw to the latter for 36 which was scored off 59 deliveries and included six fours.
Prior to Renee’s dismissal, Savory got his half century from 64 deliveries with eight fours, before he was caught at the wicket by Khemraj Rupee after getting a thin edge from the bowling of Dhanram departing for 69 (10×4, 103 balls), leaving his team on 128 for 2.
Hubert (23) replaced Renee and welcomed George, who returned to the bowling attack from the Carifesta Avenue End, back with a pugnacious front foot pull through mid wicket for four, powering DCC ‘B’ to 149 for 2 off 34 overs before he was lbw to Mohammed.
Balgobin who made 11was next to go, dismissed by Sturge but that was to be the last success for the DCC ‘A’ team, as Paul, who made a robust unbeaten 45 (5×4, 1×6) sealed the win for his side who ended on 225 for 5 from 44.2 overs, with Smith being unbeaten on 1.
Paul followed up his opening burst with the ball, by wading into the ‘A’ team’s bowling attack following the dismissal of Savory, hitting George for a four through extra cover, followed by a six over long on off Keanu Harry.
At the presentation ceremony which followed, DCC ‘B’ received a trophy, 15 medallions and $75,000 for the win, the ‘B’ team collected the same number of medallions, a trophy and $50,000, while Gibson and Paul received a trophy each as they were named the Best Batsman and Bowler of the final respectively.