INDEBTED to a masterful and unbeaten knock from Man- of- the- Match Rawle Browne, Police Sports Club (PSC) easily waltzed away with the Georgetown Cricket Association organised Ansa McAl’s Carib Beer sponsored first division T20 title yesterday afternoon, following their commanding eight wicket victory over Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC).Winning the toss and opting to bat first in the contest that was played at the eventual victors Eve Leary based home ground, GCC who lost the early wicket of skipper Robin Bacchus, crawled to 118 for 7 from their 20 overs, as Troy Benn (3 for 20) and Randolph Knights 2 for 25 applied the shackles early.
PSC in reply, scored 120 for 2 from 15 overs, thanks to Browne’s unbeaten 68, backed by a robust and unbeaten 33 from Ricardo Adams, who finished the match in style by taking 25 runs off the over that was bowled by Gavin Singh, which included two sixes and two fours.
Winning the toss and opting to bowl first in brilliant sunshine, Knights vindicated his team’s decision when he had Bacchus caught by Troy Benn at long off, off the second delivery of the contest, much to the delight of his teammates and their vociferous band of supporters.
Ellon Fernandes responded with a 16 ball 14 that included a six off Knights, after being given a life by Jermaine Reynolds at cover off Trevor Benn, but Knights had the final say when Pernell London held a well judged catch to account for Fernandes at 27 for 2 in the fifth over.
Martin Pestano-Belle and Ronaldo Ali-Mohammed pushed the score to 88, realising their team’s 50 from 7.5 overs, with Mohammed on 12 and Pestano-Belle 19, but from the comfortable position of 88 for 2, GCC slipped to 94 for 6.
They lost both Mohammed who was caught by Royan Fredericks at extra cover off Troy Benn for 28 (40balls, 2×4) followed by Pestano-Belle for a run a ball 37 (2×4), caught also by Fredericks as he looked to hoist Jason Heyliger over mid off.
Gavin Singh (04) and Joshua Wade (00) followed rapidly, but some lusty hitting from Royston Alkins (12) who struck the final delivery of the 19th over from Trevor Benn over long off for 6 and Bernard Bailey, whose unbeaten 10 also included a six over square leg off Troy Benn in the final over, pushed GCC to their final score as they reached the 100 run mark off 18.4 overs.
When PSC replied, Fredericks and Browne posted 30 for the first wicket before the former who made a run a ball 12 with two fours, was caught at third man by Alkins off Wade (1 for 20), who saw Pestano-Belle give Yatesh Dhanpaul a chance off the next delivery before he had scored.
GCC did not suffer from that let off, as Bacchus had Dhanpaul caught by Singh at cover in the next over, at 36 for 2, at which point, Adams joined Browne who later posted his and the game’s lone half century from 35 balls with eight fours, including three sweetly timed drives through point off Singh earlier on.
Browne celebrated his half century in fine style, by hitting Mohammed for 4, 6 and 6 in one over to push the score to 94 for 3 after 13 overs, before Adams stepped in and finished the game in emphatic fashion, hitting Singh for 6, 4, 4, 4, and 6 in the 15th over, propelling PSC to 120 for 2.
Browne, who later received special prizes for Most Runs in the Final, Man of the Match and Best Fielder respectively, was unbeaten on 68 scored off 45 balls with 9 fours and two sixes, while Adams faced 30 balls for his 33 that was decorated with boundaries struck in the final over of the contest.