SUNDAY’s action in the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA) Pepsi 40-over First-Division Cricket tournament again exposed the standard of the highest level of cricket in the City as Police and Everest failed to bat out their 40 overs.

At Malteenoes, the host, led by a 96-run opening partnership, between Shemroy Barrington and Nichosie Barker, powered their team to a seven-wicket victory over Police.
The 35-year-old Barrington, who has played seven First-Class matches for Guyana, hit an aggressive 60 from 32 balls with five fours and six sixes and played with little worry before he fell to Kelvin Leitch but by then victory was just 31 runs away.

Malteenoes would lose two more wickets as Leitch and left-arm spinner, Anthony Adams, briefly gave Police hopes of a sensational come-from-behind win.
But Barker who remained undefeated at the end, reached the boundary on seven occasions while clearing it once in his even half-century which lasted 41 balls as MSC reached 130-3 in 15.5 overs.

Leitch had 2-43 for Police which had earlier been bowled out in 22.4 overs for a disappointing 126.
At 67-7, Police looked likely to fall for less than 100 but a 41-run eight-wicket stand between Leitch (22) and Eon Rodrigues (24) carried the cops past 100. Adams top scored with 26 as most of the batters failed to build on starts.
Marcus Watkins bagged 4-26 with ordinary off-spin while Cordell Mars (2-26) and Delon Dalrymple (2-12) offered support with the ball.
At Everest, GCC held on to defeat the Camp Road team by two wickets after making 159-8 in 38.3 overs, replying to the 158 all out in 31 overs made by Everest,
National fast bowling all-rounder, Clinton Pestano, hit a robust 30-ball 40 with six fours and a six while First-Class batter, Akshaya Persaud, scored 28 from 56 balls with four boundaries.

Only Ushardeva Balgobin who hit three fours in 22 from 17 balls and former Test opener, Rajendra Chandrika (16), were looking good before pacer Bernard Bailey removed them both to leave the score on 42-2.

Max Horsan had 3-8, Devon Lord took 3-7 while Bailey got 2-16 for GCC which was led to victory from a fine fifty from Navindra Persaud whose even 50 came from 98 balls and included sixes fours.

Horsan had a decent all-round performance with five fours in 34 while National U-19 player Zackary Jodah and Revaldo Phillips contributed 24 each.
Richie Looknauth, who made his Regional Super50 debut recently in Trinidad, took 2-30 while Aaron Beharry also bowled well and finished with 2-7. (Sean Devers)