By Sean Devers
A BLAZING 58 from Man-of-the-Match Ramond Pereez powered DCC to their third title in a week when they beat a powerful Everest line-up by seven wickets at the picturesque Everest Ground on Sunday in the GCA’s T20 Cup final.
Watched by a large and raucous crowd under a cloudless sky, Everest won the toss and opted to bat on track, with good ‘carry’ and a lightening fast and parched outfield.

Led by an elegant 79 from Skipper Akshaya Persaud, the tournament’s most consistent batter, and a solid 40 from Richie Looknauth, Everest reached 161-5 after being 120-1.
Persaud, who is hoping for a National re-call for next month’s Regional Super50, hit two fours and eight sixes from the 40 balls he faced, and added 103 for the second wicket, with Looknauth hitting 40 from 48 balls with three fours and a six, while the former West indies opener contributed 15 from 17 balls with a boundary.

Carlton Jacques had 2-31, while fellow speedster Dexter George took 2-24, and Sachin Singh the other wicket to fall.
DCC, on the other hand, made 162-3 in 16.4 overs, on the back of an entertaining 25-ball 58 from Man-of-the-Match Ramon Pereez, who shared in a 71-run opening partnership with the left-handed Singh, who stroked a shot-filled 36 from 21 balls with four fours and two sixes, and a further 69 runs with Tevin Imlach, who was unbeaten on 45.

National pacer Clinton Pestano, who removed Pereez and Joshua Persaud in two balls with the score on 120, finished with 2-22.
Set 162 to win at a required rate of 8.3 runs per over, DCC, aided by high-intensity running between the wickets and an array of scintillating stroke-play, reached 54 without loss in five overs, as the pair picked the gaps with surgical precision, and ran the Everest fielders into the ground in scorching heat.
The right-handed Pereez took on Pestano with back-to-back boundaries on both sides of the wicket before Singh struck consecutive sixes.

National fast-bowler Sharmar Joseph was struck for a glorious cover boundary before being whipped off for four past mid-wicket off the next as Pereez looked in sublime form.
Singh, not to left out, drove Joseph for a magnificent boundary in an over which cost 18 runs to end the six-over power-play on 71-0.
When Singh was run out, Imlach, who got going with a swept boundary off Looknauth, had the DCC fans dancing in the stands.

Pereez played like a man possessed, and after a no-ball was called when Keeper Joseph Perry took the ball before it passed the wicket, which caused a dispute since the players seemed not to comprehend the laws of cricket, he deposited the free-hit from Looknauth onto Carifesta Avenue in an over that cost 19 runs.
Imlach, who made 162 against Bel Air Rubis in the preliminary round, played some delightful shots, including an improvised reverse sweep for four, before he was taken on cover boundary.

Pestano, running in and bowling fast, produced a perfect bouncer, which Joshua Persaud tried to hook, and was caught behind to leave DCC on 120-3, and him on a hat-trick.
But Imlach and Nkosi Beaton (12 not out) ensured the Queenstown side won with plenty of overs to spare, to add this title to their GCB National U-23 club title after winning the Demerara title the day before at Bourda.

Earlier, Chandrika was looking set for a big score when he chased a wide short ball from Jacques, and was caught behind at 17-1 before Persaud and Looknauth joined forces.
But 103 runs later, Looknauth was taken in the deep off George, who soon bowled Pestano for duck, before Jacques got rid of Troy Gonsalves (8) at 136. Persaud was bowled by Singh after he reached his second fifty in the tournament, but in the end, it was all in vain.
DCC walked away with the Champion’s trophy and $200,000, while Everest got $150,000. Members of both teams were presented with Medals.