Defending champions Georgetown recorded their third consecutive win in this year’s Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) one-day franchise league with a 21-run win over West Demerara at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) ground, Bourda, yesterday.
The victory came on the back of another excellent display of batsman-ship from skipper Leon Johnson who recorded his third consecutive half-century of the tournament and Christopher Barnwell who notched up his second.
Georgetown, after winning the toss and electing to bat, responded well by posting 278 for seven from their allotted 49 overs. The defending champions received a robust opening platform of 68 from Robin Bacchus (38) and Raymond Perez (20). However, the duo, and Dexter Soloman (3) were dismissed by national Under – 19 off spinner Richie Looknaught which brought Johnson and Barnwell together with the score 84 – 3.
The pair then gathered runs by hitting the gaps and found scoring relatively easy.
Johnson was particularly daring with his stroke play as he executed a number of reverse sweeps and an exquisite slice over the point region for a maximum off Raymond Reifer before he was dismissed for 76 by the same bowler. His knock included eight fours and two maximums and ended a 143 runs stand between himself and Barnwell. Barnwell, who continues to produce mature knocks as he synchronises his aggression with smart batting, muscled his way to 84, hitting eight fours and three sixes. He was severe on Romario Shepherd who ended with 3-70 from 10 overs while the tidy Looknaught grabbed 3-13 from his allotted 10 overs.
West Demerara in response, made a fist of it and had their innings prematurely
ended on 246 for nine after 43.1 overs when bad light stopped play which handed the defending champions a 21-run win on the Duckworth/Lewis calculations.
The chase, however, was not all smooth sailing as they were 89 – 5 at one point before Shepherd blasted a 26-ball, 65 which included eight sixes and two fours.
An unbeaten 27 from Looknaught who carved out two fours and two sixes at the end also provided a scare for Georgetown whose bowling effort was spearheaded by national Under- 19 seamer Qumar Torrington who snared 4-44 from his 10 overs while Ramaal Lewis continued to prove his worth by grabbing 2-34 from eight overs.
Barnwell (1-35) had the prized wicket of West Indies test batsman Reifer for 21.
