By Marlon Munroe
Guyana were dealt a five-run defeat by of Jamaica in a low-scoring contest in the final of the Guyana Cricket Board’s (GCB) Twenty20 Festival held at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence on Saturday night.
were bowled out for a paltry 111 from 19 overs with opener Danza Hyatt top scoring with 29 and Wavell Hinds getting the next best score of 16 as Man-of-the-match Christopher Barnwell ripped through the Jamaican line up with 4-17 from three overs.
Guyana, in reply, under the lights and in front of a large crowd, seemed poised for victory until they crumbled at the bottom to be routed for 107 in 19.3 overs.
Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan made 32 and opener Travis Dowlin the next most significant score of 20.
Dowlin started Guyana’s run chase aggressively with Sewnarine Chattergoon, who was the silent partner.
Chattergoon supported Dowlin by turning over the strike and securing his end as his aggressive partner punished some wayward bowling at the top of the order with some confident stroke play.
But with the introduction of spinner Nikita Miller, Chattergoon was trapped lbw for four when the score was 24.
One run later, Dowlin was run out for 20 after stroking three boundaries from 17 balls.
Guyana found themselves in more trouble when they lost the dependable Shivnarine Chanderpaul caught and bowled by Chris Gayle for five.
The in-form Narsingh Deonine soon followed caught behind by Carlton Baugh Jr. for seven to leave Guyana reeling at 48-4.
By this time Sarwan was looking good at the crease as he played his trademark cut shot that brought steady dividends.
Sarwan showed glimpses of returning to form after being out of cricket for a while as he prepares for the Regional limited overs tournament scheduled to begin on Wednesday.
He and Barnwell played well in tandem before Barnwell, after playing a sweetly timed off drive through extra cover for four, was caught at long off by Dave Bernard Jr., off the bowling of Odean Brown for four.
He expressed his own frustration as he walked back to the pavilion after a 30 run partnership.Steven Jacobs (1) and Esaun Crandon (0) did not spend long at the crease as Miller took their wickets with the score on 80.
Fast bowler Jerome Taylor returned in his second spell to remove Sarwan, who played an ill advised swipe when the team needed 27 more runs for victory, and was bowled after facing 37 balls, striking three fours. Derwin Christian attempted to salvage the game down the order but failed when he was caught at midwicket by Miller off the bowling of Gayle for 15 after hitting a four and a six.
Miller ended with 4-14 from four wickets, Gayle 2-16 (2.3) while Brown, Taylor and Richardson finished with one wicket apiece.
When Jamaica batted Barnwell started the decline when he bowled Gayle for duck in the second over after Crandon had bowled the only maiden of the game in the first over to the big Jamaican. Hyatt hit two boundaries in his 34-ball innings.
Subsequently wickets fell at regular intervals as Barnwell, Mahendra Nagamootoo (2-20) and Veerasammy Permaul (2-17) bowled with great precision.
At the presentation ceremony Jamaica received US $8000 and the championship trophy while Guyana pocketed US $4000.
In the semi final matchup the United Chargers of the USA beat Barbados in the first super over at the stadium after the two teams were locked on 139 after their allotment of 20 overs. The US based team reached 139-8 with one ball to spare.
Davendra Bishoo stroked the last ball of their innings to mid off and went down for the single but was run although Dwayne Smith hadn’t the ball in his hands when he broke the stumps. In the super over man-of-the-match Lennox Cush, who had made 69, only had three runs taken off his over as Barbados chased 10 for victory.
The Chargers took home US $2000 and Barbados US $1000 for placing fourth in the festival that is aimed to garner funds for cricket development in the country.
When Barbados batted Kirk Edwards made 43, Jonathan Carter 27 and Martin Nurse scored 14. Deon Ferrier was the pick of the bowlers with 4-26 from 3.5 overs and he got valuable support from Imran Awan (2-16), Cush (2-21) and Everton Nelson (2-27).
In reply United Chargers reached their target in 19.5 overs with Cush stroking six boundaries and three huge sixes; Ferrier made 23 that included one four and one six. Nekolai Charles took 2-19 while Kemar Roach, Khalid Springer and Carter took one wicket apiece.
