By Clifton Ross

GEORGETOWN’S woeful performance continued in Round 3 yesterday, as they were hammered for the third consecutive time in the League. Lower Corentyne pacer Niall Smith scythed through their batting for a meagre 104 to win by 7 wickets.

Luck at the GCC ground, Bourda, seems to be with the visitors this season as the home team were blown away in the 37th over. Smith, the right-arm speedster seemed to be clocking high-speeds as he bagged 6-41 in 9 overs.

Batting first proved to be wrong as it turned out to be another dismal batting outing with the experienced home team succumbing to Smith’s lethal spell. He removed the likes of ;Joshua Persaud (0), captain Leon Johnson (0) and all-rounders Chris Barnwell (11) and top-scorer Steven Jacobs (19).

For the second match at Bourda, Barnwell was unlucky to be given out to poor umpiring, a botched lbw decision which attracted mixed reactions on and off the field.
Apart from Barnwell’s misfortune, Georgetown were hapless from the start, being reduced to 55-7 with half the allotted overs left. Smith left no stone unturned as his pace and movement ruffled the feathers of the Georgetown batsmen.

The 25-year-old Berbician pacer forced opener Raymond Perez to retire hurt following a stiff blow to the ribs, while a few others in the line-up were also peppered with a barrage of short balls.

Jacobs hit a few sixes while Barnwell looked set for a good score, following his recent lean run but after they fell, the rest of the side eventually wilted.
As a result, the Berbice side cruised to their target reaching 105 for 3 in 28.4 overs. The shepherd was again veteran middle-order batsman Johnathan Foo who stroked four fours in his unbeaten 42.

Foo followed up his fifty from a few games ago to play a subtle innings mixed with aggression and maturity to see his side safely over the ropes.

National youth player Kevlon Anderson hit three fours in his 35 to aid Foo in the chase as the home bowlers toiled and struggled. Spinner Steven Sankar grabbed 2-27 with support from Windies Youth spinner Ashmead Nedd who chipped in with 1-17.

Openers Junior Sinclair (10) and Maxie Dejonge (13), set the tone with some positive strokes as they both reached double figures. Lower Corentyne endured a few hiccups as they reached 98-3, following the removal of the openers by Sankar and Nedd respectively.
Foo and Seon Hetymer (2*) then saw off the bowlers without any further bumps, to easily hunt down the mediocre target with wickets and overs to spare.