Navindra Persaud hits 99 as GCC takes fourth spot in qualifiers

LED by Navindra Persaud on 99, and 3-17 from off-spinner Darshan Persaud, the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) crushed
Everest by 183 runs to clinch the final spot of the playoffs stage of the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA)’s Dave’s West
Indian Inc. 50-over first-division competition on Sunday at the GCC Ground, Bourda.
Police, DCC, GDF, and GCC are the teams to advance to the play-offs.
Scores: GCC (255-5 in 50 overs), Everest 79-8 inns closed in 34.4 overs.
The home team batted first in the ‘must-win’ game on a good pitch and fast outfield.
Navindra Persaud hit one boundary in his 133-ball 99, and shared in a 71-opening stand with Nicolas Shiopersaud (23) before diminutive left-arm spinner Javed Rasheed broke the partnership in the 24th over.
Navindra Persaud and left-hander Akshaya Persaud (39) put together 73 for the second wicket before the impressive Rasheed picked up the wickets of Akshaya and
Rivaldo Phillips (13) to leave the team from the oldest club in the West Indies on 160-3.
Navindra and Yeudister Persaud (48) featured in a 77-run fourth-wicket stand before both batters perished in the space of 10 runs to leave GCC on 247-5.
The in-form Navindra was on 98 with three balls left in the innings. Navindra called for two to reach his hundred, but despite his despairing dive, he was run out going for the second run.
Rasheed, who extracted prodigious from the track, was the most successful bowler for the Camp Road team, which turned up for a virtual semi-final without a full complement of 11players.
Former West Indies Test batter Assad Fudadin carried his bat before he ran out of partners.
The 40-year-old Fudadin, who played three Tests and 110 First Class matches, showed maturity and responsibility, but no other batter passed five.
Darshan Persaud was supported by Yeudister Persaud (2-21 from 5 overs) and Skipper and Left-arm spinner 30-year-old Devon Lord, who continues to take wickets (2-7 from 8 overs).
Meanwhile, the six players from the two teams who played in Saturday’s Inter-County final in Essequibo all missed Sunday’s game.
According to the GCB, the players were not banned from playing for their clubs, since it was a 50-over tournament, and they are preparing for the Regional Super50 later this month in Trinidad.
Both clubs indicated that the players missed Sunday’s match because they had requested rest after travelling from Essequibo on Saturday evening.