….to face Club Crusoe today at 18:00 hrs

By BRIJ PARASNATH
FORMER Guyana senior player Gajanand Singh and West Indies under-19 all-rounder Keemo Paul combined to rally Demerara Cricket Club (DCC)to the UWI UNICOM T20 semi-finals,which is carded for today at the Sir Frank Worrell ground, St Augustine campus.DCC, in their first outing in this tournament, continues to impress and should fancy their chances of getting the better of Club Crusoe, Tobago’s champions, in their semi-final encounter which will be contested under floodlights from 18.00 hrs today.
Singh has emerged as the’form’batsman of the tournament and once again proved his resilience to push DCC to an exciting six-wicket victory over Police Sports Club in their quarter-final match on Wednesday night.

Singh is yet be dismissed and has featured in all three matches with undefeated half-centuries. The attractive left-handed strokeplayer opened the batting and calmed the nerves of DCC supporters and his teammates with disciplined application and calculated assault on the lawmen,whose aspirations of toppling the visitors were enhanced when they captured three quick wickets in one over.
Earlier, Police batted first and were dismissed for 133 in 18.5 overs. And after being set a victory target of 134 runs,DCC found themselves in disarray when Rajiv Singh sent back Andrew Light jnr (caught Hanooman for 3 off 7 balls), Steven Sankar (LBW 0, 1 ball) and Kemol Savory (caught Hanooman 0, 1 ball) in the same over.
But Gajanand and Derwin Christian, who made 26; averted further disaster and restored confidence in getting to the target.
Christian smashed four fours off the nineteen balls faced while Singh displayed the right temperament in conquering the opponents.
Paul, a member of the West Indies Youth Team that won the ICC Under-19 World Cup last year in Bangladesh, joined his more senior compatriot and together they rallied DCC to a heart-warming victory.
The unconquerable Singh remained unbeaten on 56,which included nine sweetly-timed boundaries off 48 deliveries while Paul was also undefeated on 41 that included four sixes and one boundary off 24 balls.
Singh collected the “Man- of-the– Match” award for his topscore and match-winning fifty.
Rajiv Singh finished with three wickets for 19 runs off his four overs while Ryan Jones took one wicket for 27 off 2.1 overs.
During the Police innings, Clifton Halls 50 (3x4s and 2x6s off 37 balls), Sunil Beepath 38 (33 balls) and Dereck Nancoo 14 (2x4s off 15 balls) were the only batsmen to get to double figures.
Paul (3.5-0-21-1), Christian (4-0-28-2), Cohen Ismond (3-0-18-2) and Carlton Jacques (1-0-13-1) did the bowling honours and shared the wickets for DCC.
In the third quarter-finals played at the same venue, Merryboys trounced the Duncan-Buggy Haynes United team by 97 runs in a one-sided affair.
Merryboys posted 178 for 7 in 20 overs,with solid contributions coming from former national player Lincoln Roberts 42 (3x4s and 3x6s off 28 balls), national all-rounder Marlon Richards 36 (1×4 and 3x6s off 16 balls) and senior player Isaiah Rajah 28 (3x6s off 25 balls).
West Indies Under 19 all-rounder,Jyd Goolie,claimed two wickets for 25 from four overs while Bryan Charles took two for 45 from his four overs.
In reply, DBH United folded up for a paltry 81 all out in 13.2 overs with pacer Rishaard Harris being the chief destroyer with 6 for 26 from 3.6 overs. Leftarm spinner Ricky Jaipaul supported with two wickets for 16 runs in three overs.
Goolie made 25 that contained one six and four fours off 15 deliveries while Duane Cockburn struck three fours in his 18.
Merryboys will face Cane Farm United in the other semi-final which is carded for tomorrow evening at the same venue from 18.00 hrs.