INSPIRED by some incisive medium fast bowling from their skipper Calvin Roberts, backed later by some belligerent hitting from opener John Ramsingh, the Guyana Media XI demolished Guyana Floodlights Softball Cricket Association by nine wickets in a T20 fixture at the Demerara Cricket Club ground last Friday night.Winning the toss and opting to take first strike, Floodlights, who were rocked early on in their innings by the new ball pair of Ishaka Jackman and Jermaine Neblette, were not allowed to recover by Roberts who ended with 3 for 18, as they reached 104 for 6.
Their final total was due mainly to the batting of the veteran Wayne Jones who topscored with 42 (3×6, 3×4) after being given a life by Roberts at short cover before he had scored off the bowling of Ravi Persaud, and Arvinda Gainda with 29 (2×4, 1×6).
The duo added 72 for the fifth wicket, after Jackman and Neblett rocked their team’s top order batting to send back Patrick Khan (01) and Khalid Baksh (02), while Roberts sent back Ricky Deonarine (00) and Persaud accounted for Reaz Hussain (05), leaving Floodlights on 26 for 4.
After he was given the life, Jones hit Persaud for six and four in one over, while Gainda, who opened his account with a magnificent square cut through point off Roberts, proceeded to hit a free hit from the same bowler in his next over, back over his head and onto Crown Street for the first maximum of the night.
Keon Blades was introduced into the attack in the 18th over and Jones attacked him like a raging bull, hitting him back over long on and long off for maximum, followed by an exquisite extra cover drive for 4, before Roberts removed Gainda with the first ball of the 19th over to break what looked like a threatening partnership.
He followed it up with the wicket of Richard Persaud (00) two balls later, but it was the final success for the Media XI as Jones and Rabindra Singh played out the remaining deliveries and final over from Zaheer Mohammed, to see their side to their final total.
Jackman, Neblett and Ravi Persaud took a wicket each to support Roberts in the bowling department for the Media XI, whose openers in Ramsingh and Imran Sharukhan added 73 for the first wicket, with both batsmen hitting boundaries at will.
It took the bowling of Gainda to separate the pair, removing Ramsingh who was caught at backward sqaureleg, but at the time, it was not if the Media XI would have won the contest, but what the margin of victory will be.
Their wicketkeeper/batsman Daniel Singh joined Khan and steered them home to 105 for 1 off 11 overs, with Khan unbeaten on 23 (3×4, 1×6) and Singh 19 which included two fours.
At the brief presentation ceremony that followed, Ramsingh received accolades after he was adjudged Best Fielder, Batsman and Man- of- the- Match, with Roberts taking home the Best Bowler trophy on the winner’s side.
For the losers, Jones was named Best Fielder and Batsman respectively while Gainda, who took the solitary wicket to fall for the Media XI, was named Best Bowler, with the trophies and balls for the game being sponsored by Ramesh Sunich of Trophy Stall.
Prior to the presentation, Deonarine thanked the Media XI for the wonderful showing, even as he felt his team did well to score over 100 and also take an opposition wicket, while Roberts thanked Floodlights for hosting his side, congratulated his players on the win and readily accept the rematch challenge from the Floodlights Boys.