Match report and photos by Akeem Greene
Essequibo have won the 2018 Cricket Guyana Inc. 50-over Franchise League after they produced yet another scintillating performance to thrash defending champions and powerhouse, Georgetown, by 97 runs on Wednesday at the GCC ground, Bourda.
Even though there is still one round remaining, the lads from the ‘Cinderella County’ are in full control of where the title rests after Thursday’s (September 27) final round. The match was the clash of the only two unbeaten teams – on 14 and 13 points respectively. The 2017 runners-up were ahead by just one and have extended that lead to an unassailable six points.
Stars of the show once again were left-arm spinners Anthony Adams and Ricardo Adams, who bundled the city side out for 55 in 24.1 overs. They were in pursuit of 153 from the full allotment of overs. The duo shared eight wickets for 42 runs in 16.1 overs.
Both spinners bowled from the start on the low-turner, making life a misery for the likes of Robin Bacchus, Leon Johnson and Christopher Barnwell.
Ricardo struck the final nail; well maybe the final three nails in the coffin by picking up a hat-trick. His feat saw him dismiss Steven Sankar (3), Ashmead Nedd (0) and Qumar Torrington (0) to end with 4-26, while Anthony took 4-16 in his full quota.
Windies Youth batsman Raymond Perez was the first to go without scoring, edging behind to the nifty Kemol Savoury. Quincy Ovid-Richardson (4) soon followed leg before and Bacchus missed a long-hop to have his stumps disturbed for one. It was 8-3 in the third over.
Johnson and Barnwell, the mainstay of their team’s batting all season, looked intent on repairing the early damage with some flowing shots and quick running. It was undone when Ricardo got one to spin and rattle the Test batsman’s stump for just six.
Barnwell provided some resistance, striking a lone boundary in 21, but once he fell to young pacer Joshua Jones, the little light at the end the tunnel quickly disappeared.
Essequibo’s quest for a good score was short-lived, as none of their top-order batsmen capitalised on the starts. Kevon Boodie and Parmesh Parsotam added 29 for the first wicket and from then onwards wickets fell at regular intervals.
Savoury chipped in 19, but it was the Adams duo along with Mark Williams with a gusty showing at the lower-order that brought to them to the respectable total, given the prevailing conditions.
Ricardo struck four boundaries in his 37, while Anthony was unbeaten on 23 and Williams made 18. Off-spinner Ramaal Lewis’ rich vein of form continued with him snaring 3-24 in 10 overs and Sankar 3-12; Barnwell took 2-31.
The final round of matches pits Essequibo against West Berbice at Bush Lot, Georgetown and Lower Corentyne at Bourda, East Coast and Upper Corentyne at Enmore and East Bank and West Demerara at Everest.
All matches are scheduled to commence at 09:00h.
