Kevin Sinclair shines with bat & ball.
– Imlach’s X1 win by 143 runs in 3 days

By Sean Devers
THE third day of the GCB’s second and final four-day practice game saw fluctuating weather conditions at Providence and was highlighted by an unbeaten 74 from Kevin Sinclair who returned to take 4-54, while spinners Richie Looknauth and Anthony Adams had four-wicket hauls.

When the dust had settled Imlach’s X1 had beaten Gudakesh Motie’s X1 by 143 runs with a day to spare.
Tevin Imlach’s X1 began the penultimate day on 167-4, with an overall lead of 174 and were bowled out 300.

Kevin Sinclair reached the boundary nine times and cleared it thrice in his 86-ball 74 which lasted 111 minutes.
Sinclair, picked more for off-spin, shared in a 100-run seventh wicket partnership with Akshaya Persaud who hit a single four in his 48-ball 31 while Kevlon Anderson hit five boundaries in 29.

Everest’s Looknauth took 4-87 while Motie had 2-33 on the second day.
Set 301 to win, Motie’s X1, without their skipper and Tagenarine Chanderpaul due to their departure for the Zimbabwe Test series, were all out for 167 with only Anthony Bramble, who made 55 from 44 balls with six fours and four sixes and Rampertab Ramnauth who scored 35 from 41 balls, 64 minutes with six fours offered any resistance.

Kevin Sinclair followed up his fifty with 4-54 while Anthony Adams took 4-25.
Imlach’s X1 resumed the day on 167-4 and Anderson, on 18 overnight and Persaud carried the score 183 before Anderson, who, looking well set on 29, pushed forward to one that went on with the arm and edged Richie Looknauth to Kemol Savory at slip.

Shamar Yearwood (1) fended at a short ball from Beaton and was caught at third slip by Junior Sinclair at 188-6 before Kevin Sinclair join Persaud, who played the supporting role as Sinclair attacked.
The 50 partnership was posted in 12 overs.

Sinclair hit Renaldo Ali-Mohammed over his head for six before rocking back and cutting Ashmead Nedd for four to reach his fifty from 63 balls, 76 balls with eight fours and a six while the left-handed Persaud was solid in his defence.

At Lunch the score was 266-6 with Sinclair on 55 and Persaud, who reached the boundary just once in the morning session, on 28.
After the interval, Sinclair pounced on Nedd when he bowled short and wide and slapped him to the point boundary before Looknauth, who operated with excellent flight and pace, bowled Persaud 288-7 to break the century seventh wicket stand.

Sinclair clobbered Nedd over mid-wicket for six and deposited Looknauth over the ropes but when Clinton Pestano was outfoxed by the wily Looknauth 298-9, Sinclair was running out of partners.

Pestano (10) lofted a well flighted delivery from Looknauth into the Presidential Stand before hitting the next ball high to long-on when Looknauth again flighted the ball teasingly and deceived the batter.

Looknauth, who got plenty of turn from a dry Providence track and rain threating, had Demitri Cameron (2) caught as his big swing was skied to Nedd at deep mid-on.
Motie’s X1 began their victory hunt in overcast conditions but after just 2.3 overs were bowled, with the score on one without loss, rain stopped play at 1:18 pm.
Play resumed and Mavindra Dindyal pulled Pestano for six, but with the score on 13 without loss another short shower sent the players scurrying off the field at 2:10 pm after another 1.5 overs were bowled.

Play again resumed at 2:45 pm and Dindyal who pulled Pestano for six, top-edged a hook to backward square on the boundary to fall for 10 at 18-1.
Ramnauth, who was dropped at second slip of Shamar Joseph, pulled Pestano for a couple of disdainful boundaries while driving Joseph, who ‘peppered’ him with short balls, for authoritative cover drives when he pitched up.

Savory also looked to play shots and reached the boundary twice. The 50 was posted in the 11th over.
But with the score on 57, both batters were dismissed; Ramnauth fell to Joseph and Savory (13) was caught behind off Kevin Sinclair, who did his trade mark double back flick.

Anthony Bramble and Sachin Singh joined forces with the sun back in all its glory but Singh (10) was LBW to Sinclair as Bramble went after the bowlers.
Bramble reached his 50 from 42 balls, 57 minutes and clobbered four sixes and six fours before he was LBW to Adams who also trapped Ali-Mohammed (10) a run later to leave the score on 133-6.

Sinclair had Nedd (3) LBW at 148-7 before Garfield Benjamin (13) was stumped as he ran past one from Adams at 150-8
Beaton and Sylus Tyndal were dismissed to end the game.

Guyana Harpy Eagles will face defending champs Barbados in Antigua from February 1-4 before opposing the Windwards in Grenada from February 8-11.