ON a day with mostly sunny weather, Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) defeated the home team Transport Sports Club (TSC) by seven runs in the Georgetown Cricket Association’s (GCA’s) U-17 Eilin Security Logistics 50-over cricket yesterday.
The Bourda Boys opted to bat on a good track and fast outfield and had an inauspicious start when pacer Afraz Khan trapped Neerav Persaud (1) lbw in the first over with five runs on the board.
Shaid Ramzan got off the mark with a double and took his time to tuck the ball into gaps for singles, as he and Trilok Nanan took the score to 14 before Khan removed Ramzan (10) in the fifth over.
The next boundary came off the bat of Nanan in the sixth over as Hezekiah Hohenkirk bowled a rare loose delivery.
Nanan and Aaron Persaud were kept in shackles as the new-ball bowlers maintained good control, and although Hohenkirk conceded a couple of wides in the 10th over, those were the only runs in the over.
After 10 overs GCC were 29-2.
Emmanuel Lewis was introduced in the 11th and released the pressure as Persaud, who had managed just three runs from 19 balls, got his innings going with consecutive boundaries in an over that cost 18 runs.
Riaz Latif was brought on and started with a wide to Nanan, who posted 50 with a double in the 12th over.
Persaud hit the fifth four of the innings, but Latif had the last laugh when he bowled Persaud (23) with his next ball to leave GCC on 64-3 as the 50-run stand was broken.
Lewis bowled Nanan six runs later after his 24 runs had taken 29 balls with one four. His demise triggered a mini-collapse as the GCC lost three wickets for one run.
Vijai Kalpu joined Ravaldo Pereira at 71-6 and clobbered Latif for a humongous six off his first ball.
Pereira dumped Latif for two more sixes in an over, costing 21, before Kalpu stroked Lewis for four to post the 100 in 17 overs.
Pereira took a liking to Latif and deposited the leg-spinner for six before smashing Prosper Jacobus for two boundaries in the 21st over.
Kalpu lofted Latif for six before Latif removed Pereira at 128-7 to break the 57-run partnership. Pereira’s cameo 35 included two fours and three sixes.
The four wickets tumbled for eight runs, including Kalpu, who was ninth out to Latif’s bowling.
Latif had 4-33 and was supported by Khan and Jacobus, who took two wickets each for TSC, who lost their last six wickets for 20 runs as they batted in T20 fashion.
When TSC began their reply, a ‘no ball’ from Kalpu, which eluded the ‘keeper,’ gifted them five runs from no balls.
Lewis jumped into Persaud and blasted him for four, six off a ‘no ball’ and ended the second over, which cost 20, with four more.
After two overs TSC were 20 without loss.
Lewis smashed Kalpu for three fours in the next over before stroking him for a couple of glorious boundaries as 50 came up in five overs.
Mikel Johnson was a spectator at the non-strikers’ end as Lewis continued to flay the hapless bowlers to all parts of ground.
Lewis hit Ethan Roopnarine for six to reach his 50 from 20 balls before he was bowled by Kalpu at 76-1.
His blistering 64 lasted 26 balls and was decorated with nine fours and three sixes. Johnson had contributed just three runs to the opening stand.
Roopnarine bowled Johnson (6 from 19 balls) at 82-3, and West Indies U-19 World Cup left-hander Shamar Apple got going with a huge six off Pereira as the 100 came up in the 11th over.
But when on 22 in overcast conditions with seven wickets in hand, the pugnacious Apple was caught at long-off playing an ill-advised shot off Ramzan to leave his team on 109-4.
Apple’s dismissal of Ramzan, in the middle of a frugal spell, meant TSC suffered a dramatic collapse, losing their six wickets for 20 runs.
Perriera had 2-18 and Ramzan 2-10 from six overs
