The legends of local cricket must at least love the effort of the first day of the ‘Heroes Cup’ first division two-day competition yesterday at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) and Eve Leary grounds.
National batting all-rounder Christopher Barnwell, fresh from his stint in South Africa in the Champions League with the Amazon Conquerors, notched up the first century of the tournament with a spanking 121 for his DCC team against the hapless Transport Sports Club (TSC) in the first innings. Cohen Ismond compiled 40 as the Queenstown-based team piled on 267 all out.
In TSC’s reply they were skittled out for a mere 66 with only Azim Azeez and Marc Nicholson making any substantial score of 15 and 12 respectively.
Spinner Totaram Bishun was miserly and almost unplayable as he snared figures of 7-12.
In the home team’s second innings, already with a 201-run first innings lead, fired to 251-3 going into today’s final day. National wicketkeeper Derwin Christian and Ismond were undefeated at the crease with 80 (9×6, 1×4) and 24 (2×4) respectively; West Indies under-19 opener Trevon Griffith had earlier stroked a classy 66, which included seven fours and three sixes.
Over at the Eve Leary ground Police were in control at the end of the first day after 248 from 69.4 over and then restricting Guyana Defence Force (GDF) 50-2 at the close. After Police won the toss and batted Shameer Fazal top scored with 74 while Pernell London and Jason Heyliger followed with 30 and 27 respectively.
Trevon Garraway was GDF’s best bowler with three wickets while Dennis Legay chipped in with two. In GDF’s turn at the crease they lost two early wickets leaving national batsman Shemroy Barrington unbeaten on 33 at stumps.
Heyliger (1-6) and Randolph Knights (1-10) accounted for the GDF wickets.
