By Clifton Ross

A venomous spell of fast-bowling by Ronsford Beaton, coupled with Kemol Savory’s fifty, took defending champions Essequibo to a whopping 122-run win over Georgetown as the 2019 SBF/CGI Jaguars One- Day League bowled off yesterday at the GCC ground, Bourda.
Savory led Essequibo’s charge with a stylish 81 from 112 balls that included six crisp fours and two big maximums. But it was a returning Beaton, seemingly faster and more confident, who dismantled the Georgetown side with returns of 5-18 from 6 overs of hostility.

Quinton Sampson smacked 3 sixes and a four in his 28 with Beaton chipping in with a useful 26 as Essequibo posted 221-9 from their 50 overs.
Youth pacer Qumar Torrington snared 3-64 with support from veteran seamer, Paul Wintz, who grabbed 2-42 as Windies U-19 spinner, Ashmead Nedd and Steven Jacobs, grabbed two scalps apiece.

Georgetown, in reply, made a mess of the chase and found themselves blown away for just 99 in 26 overs. Apart from wicket-keeper Joshua Persaud (26), Jacobs (24) and skipper Leon Johnson (23), it was a woeful batting performance as the champs ran roughshod over the home team in their backyard.

The spin twins, brothers Akinie and Captain Anthony Adams, spun webs around the batters as they snatched 2-28 and 2-26 respectively, duly supporting Beaton. Georgetown suffered a great setback after the former Windies speedster removed Raymond Perez (6), Robin Bacchus (0) and Winston Forrester (4).

Johnson looked good during his stay before Akinie Adams had him caught by his brother to end the stay of the Georgetown skipper. Beaton had earlier removed Chris Barnwell for a duck after deliberations between the umpires while the Adams boys cleaned up the tail.
Beaton then bagged his fifth victim when Jacobs edged one to the wicketkeeper Savory; bringing the home team’s innings to a screeching halt.

Earlier, opener Kevon Boodie was removed for zero by Jacobs who also trapped Ricardo Adams for 1 to leave the champs in a spot of bother, batting first.

Parmesh Parsotam stroked two good-looking fours in his 23 but had his stumps uprooted by a fiery delivery from the stampeding Torrington, who also removed Marvin Williams for a duck as the Champs struggled to 50-4 in the 15th over as the home team were all over their batsmen following the collapse of the top order.

Savory remained firm and anchored down as he took his score to 50 with a thumping drive for four which inevitably brought up the Champs hard-earned 100 in the 28th over.
Skipper Adams succumbed for 8 runs to the skills of the veteran Wintz; he was brilliantly caught by the diving Johnson in slips. Savory and Beaton steadied the ship with the former West Indies pacer showing his class with the bat as he found the ropes on a few occasions.
Savory cut loose on spinner Steven Sankar, who was hammered for two fours and a six, which took the left-hander into the 70’s.

Nedd got into the action at a good time, removing a dangerous looking Beaton, LBW ,to keep the hosts in the game. The Windies U-19 spinner then bagged the big wicket of Savory, who slicked one to Barnwell at backward point.

Sampson walked out like a man possessed, smashing a few sixes, but Georgetown continued to take wickets and Wintz struck again as he easily took a catch off his own bowling to remove Neil Cadogan cheaply.