Paul, Nandu and spinners lead GCB XI to victory over ACS
- Back-to-back defeats for ACS after three wins on the trot
A blistering half-century from captain Keemo Paul, a composed unbeaten fifty from West Indies Under-19 opener Matthew Nandu and a collective bowling effort from the spinners combined to give the Guyana Cricket Board XI (GCB XI) a thumping 76-run victory over the visiting American Cricket Society (ACS) on Tuesday at the Everest Cricket Club ground, Camp Road.
Watched by a fair-sized crowd at the city venue, GCB XI, winning the toss and opting to bat, piled up an imposing 251-9 from the allotted 35 overs and then limited ACS to 175 after their openers Akshay Homraj and Dominique Rikhi threatened to stage an upset.
GCB XI found themselves in early trouble at 67-3 by the 11th over with Trevon Griffith (4), fellow opener Chandrapaul Hemraj (28 off 15; 2x4s, 3x6s) and Tevin Imlach (22 off 31; 2x4s) all back in the pavilion.
Nandu, who batted at five, and fellow left-hander Akshaya Persaud repaired the innings with a fourth wicket stand of 50 in 8.2 overs before the latter was dismissed for 23 off 37 (2x4s) at 117-4.
Three runs later, veteran batsman Christopher Barnwell went for two and it seemed the GCB XI were in danger of being dismissed cheaply.
However, Paul joined Nandu and they proceeded to change the complexion of the innings, combining different approaches in a sixth wicket partnership of 106 in 10.3 overs to cut the progress ACS were making.
Paul was particularly brutal on anything loose, blasting seven sixes and three fours in 46 minutes of mayhem. By the time he was dismissed for 70 off 35 balls, Nandu had grown in confidence, playing with freedom and authority and running briskly between the wickets.
He finished on 68 not out off 70 balls (4x4s). Guest players Nial Smith (3-31) and Assad Fudadin (3-35) were the pick of the bowlers for ACS.
In reply, ACS got a rousing start of 88 in 11.4 overs by former Guyana Under-19 players Homraj and Rikhi, but once they were dismissed, the innings subsided against an attack loaded with left-arm spinners.
Homraj made 54 off 39 (5x4s, 3x6s) and the consistent Rikhi 44 off 54 (2x4s, 1×6), but the next highest was 19 not out from former national youth player Jeetendra Sookdeo.
Gudakesh Motie was the pick of the bowlers with 3-21; Antony Adams claimed 3-31, Persaud 2-10 and Hemraj 1-5.
The game was the fifth in five days for ACS. They started with victories against Canal Number Two, Enmore Cricket Club and Chesney Cricket Club, before losing to Everest on Monday.
They next play Malteenoes on Thursday, before wrapping up the visit with a game at Bush Lot the following day.
Below are the summarised scores from the games thus far.
At LBI ground: ACS defeated Canal Number Two by 84 runs
ACS 165 all out from 30 overs (Dominique Rikhi 48, Trinson Carmichael 25, Karan Ganesh 25; Nityaudan Maturia 3-27, Keshram Seyhodan 3-45, Parmanand Ramnauth 2-24) vs Canal Number Two 81 all out (Chabraj Ramcharran 29, Sidier Shalam 15; Yuvraj Dyal 3-1, Trinson Carmichael 3-13, Damion Jacobs 3-28)
At Enmore Community Centre: ACS defeated Enmore Cricket Club by 44 runs
ACS 214-8 from 30 overs (Dominique Rikhi 63, Oraine Williams 50, Kevon Boodie 41; Satesh Jainarine 3-30, Chaitram Balgobin 3-33) vs Enmore Cricket Club 170 all out (Vishwanaut Ramlakhan 54*, Chaitram Balgobin 20; Damion Jacobs 4-33, Emanual Seecharran 2-25)
At Chesney ground: ACS defeated Chesney Cricket Club by 152 runs
ACS 286 from 35 over (Karan Ganesh 92*, Kevon Boodie 36, Randall Wilson 35, Extras 38; Narine Deonarine 4-45, Suresh Dhanai 3-37) vs Chesney Cricket Club 134 all out (Narine Deonarine 31, Ramesh Kasinauth 25, Hemendra Gurdyal 24; Keshram Seyhodan 4-19, Emanuel Seecharran 2-14, Damion Jacobs 2-22, Yuvraj Dyal 2-26).
At the Everest ground: Everest defeated ACS by six wickets
ACS 129-7 from 25 overs (Trinson Carmichael 31*, Dominique Rikhi 25, Richie Loaknauth 3-7, Gudakesh Motie 2-41) vs Everest 130-4 (Matthew Nandu 60*, Akshaya Persaud 43).
