BOTH Malteenoes Sports Club (MSC) and the Guyana National Industrial Corporation (GNIC) humiliated their respective opponents in the latest round of matches as action in the Georgetown Cricket Association (GCA) organized Queensway C up competition continued last weekend. On Saturday at the Everest Cricket Club ground, MSC inflicted a 242 runs defeat on Third Class, thanks to half centuries from Danny Narayan, Nichosie Barker and Kwame Crosse in the final match of the first round, while GNIC humiliated Gandhi Youth Organization by eight wickets in the first match of the second round at the same venue yesterday, thanks to the bowling of Leroy Bristol.
However and on a sad note, the GNIC/GYO encounter was played with locked dressing rooms, forcing the players from both teams to use the stand on the Southern side of the ground as a changing room, while the pitch was unprepared from the previous day’s encounter.
GYO won the toss and opting to bat first on the unprepared track, were bowled out for 83 from 37.3 overs, as Bristol ended with 4 for 17 and received support from Collis Butts who took 2 for 14, Tagenarine Chanderpaul who was given three lives when on 0, 9 and 20, topscored with 23.
Leon Scott struck Butts for two sixes in his unbeaten 17 while Abhilash Dhookie who like Scott and newly appointed GYO skipper Surendra Hiralall, who once played for Everest Cricket Club, made 11, as GYO slipped from 36 for 1 in the 12th over to 59 for 7 in the 28th before Scott added some respectability to the total.
When GNIC who booked a place in the quarterfinals with their win began their reply, they raced to 30 before losing both openers in Elton Baker (11) and Quincy Ovid-Richardson (14).
Shawn De Souza struck Shaheed Mohammed for a four and six off successive deliveries and along with David Dick took the score to 78 for 2 from 11 overs at the scheduled luncheon break and when play resumed, took 1.4 overs to wrap up the victory, with De Souza being unbeaten on 37 (3×4, 1×6) and Dick 11.
On Saturday, Crosse who scored an even half century and Barker (58, 6×4; 1×6)) posted 123 for the first wicket before Barker was caught off the bowling of Andre O’Neil (1-41) and after seeing the demise of Crosse two runs later, Narayan and Steven Jacobs joined forces to add 57 for the third wicket before Jacobs was dismissed for 44 that included six fours.
Dion Ferrier replaced Jacobs and added 117 for the fourth wicket with Narayan who struck five fours in his unbeaten 71 before Ferrier was dismissed one shy of his half century, but not before he struck four fours and one six, as the Third Class bowlers had no idea what struck them.
Third Class’ batting display was more pathetic than their bowling as they were bowled out for 78 with extras top scoring with 20 while Muneshwar Ramsaroop was the lone batsman to reach double figures with 12.
Kellon Carmichael took 3 for 18 while they were two wickets each for Ferrier and Seon Daniels for 10 and 20 runs respectively, as MSC moved into the second round where they face Ace Warriors in their next match on a date and venue to be named by the GCA’s Competitions Committee.