THE Guyana All-Stars completed a five-wicket win over the Caribbean All-Stars in the Hurricane Relief Twenty20 game Sunday evening.

Given the strength of both teams, the result was of academic interest, since the encounter played at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, was aimed at garnering funds to support relief efforts for last month’s Hurricane victims in the Caribbean.
With the absence of a number of advertised players, the no show of the local artistes and the cheerleaders, the crowd support was the biggest disappointment.
However, moments after both teams were met by Prime Minister Moses Nagamootoo and Director of Sport Christopher Jones, play eventually got underway an hour later than the scheduled 17:00hrs start.
Sent in, the Caribbean All-Stars piled up an imposing 174-5 off their 20 overs.

The total was bolstered by a 97-run opening partnership between Andre Fletcher and Kjorn Ottley. Fletcher, who was bowled off a free-hit when on 29, made a 57-ball 77, with six sixes and a four.
Both batsmen unleashed a barrage of boundaries to race out of the blocks to score 44 at end of the first six overs.
The duo kept the hosts under pressure with confident batting and with a healthy run rate at the halfway point of the innings.

However, spinner Ramaal Lewis provided the Guyanese with the first breakthrough when he bowled Ottley for 38 off 32 balls; his innings included four fours and two sixes. One run later, Guyanese Shemroy Barrington (1), was caught in the midwicket region off of Ricardo Adams.
Those two quick wickets had no effect on Fletcher, who continued the assault, along with Nicolas Pooran, who took 19 runs off the 15th over bowled by Veerasammy Permaul.
Pooran made a breezy 33 off 15 balls, with three sixes and two fours. Lendl Simmons made a first-ball duck before Fletcher fell in the penultimate over.
Romario Shepherd ended with 2 – 39 while Adams and Lewis took a wicket apiece.
The hosts faced a few anxious moments in their run chase after losing opener Robin Bacchus (4) early, but fellow opener Sherfane Rutherford stood firm, and carved out a number of sweetly timed boundaries.

He ensured there were no more hiccups until the halfway stage of the innings, when skipper Leon Johnson (15), was removed.
Anthony Bramble (9) and Rutherford fell in quick succession. Rutherford’s innings of 51 lasted for 41 ball, and included eight fours.
However, late cameos from Christopher Barnwell, who made 25 off 11 balls, with three fours and a six, Jonathan Foo (23 off 15 balls), and Gajanand Singh (16 not out) completed the victory in 18.5 overs.

Kellon Carmichael who grabbed 2 –24 from three overs, was the best bowler for the Caribbean All-Stars.
The game was organised by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)in partnership with Ansa McAl’s Carib Beer and Keem’s Foundation, a charitable organisation.