Latest update November 26th, 2024 1:00 AM
UWI T20 in T&T… Belligerent Singh powers DCC into tomorrow’s Q/finals
By Sean Devers
A couple of belligerent unbeaten half-centuries by Gajanand Singh 
powered an exhausted DCC line-up of Guyana to tomorrow’s Quarter-Final of the University of the West Indies (UWI) T20 tournament against Police with back-to-back victories on Sunday at the UWI ground in St Augustine Trinidad.
The 29-year-old Berbician has two First-Class half-centuries in 10 matches but has not played for Guyana since 2011 when he made nine against the England Lions at Providence. After a self imposed exile from the game, he has resurrected his career by returning to form and more importantly to fitness, an area which has affected his career in the past.
The former West Indies U-19 left-hander smashed 64 not out decorated with seven fours and a six from 44 balls in the 14:00hrs game and followed it up with a pugnacious undefeated 56 from 38 balls with 10 boundaries in the 19:00hrs encounter under lights when he was backed up by wicketkeeper Kemol Savory, who made 58.
It was a tiring trip for the Guyanese team who only arrived in Carnival Country at noon on Sunday morning to play their first game at 14:00hrs the same day before their second match commenced at 19:00hrs under lights.
In their opening match, DCC restricted DSH United to 158-8 from 20 overs with Trinidad & Tobago’s opener William Perkins stroking an entertaining 56 before he was removed by Guyana U-19 pacer Sherfane Rutherford.
After Red Force batsman Yannick Ottley (31) fell to Steven Sankar, nobody else got into double figures as Cohen Ismond (2-26) who opened the bowling with Ashmead Nedd (1-19), Kemo Paul 2-31, Rutherford 2-19 and Singh 1-22 with his right-arm off-spin, all bowled well.
DCC galloped to 162-4 from 16 overs with Singh leading the way with his delightful half-century after fellow opener Andrew Lyght Jnr (4) fell in the second over to First-Class off-spinner Jason Mohamed, who also got rid of Ismond (3) and when Rutherford fell for five DCC were in trouble.
But Savory clobbered six fours and two sixes from just 24 balls before he was bowled by former T&T and West Indies ‘A’ team pacer Richard Kelly for a pugnacious 58. Derwin Christian (15*) joined Singh to see DCC home. Mohammed had 2-9 from 3 overs.
In the second game, Moosai Sports were bowled out in 18 overs for 98 despite 41 from Yohan Primo as Paul (3-18), Carmichael (2-20) and Rutherford (2-26) did the damage for the lads from Queenstown, Guyana.
DCC reached 103-3 in 12 overs with Singh again showing excellent form and although Lyght (4) again failed to get going at the top of the order, Sachin Singh (16), Paul (12) and guest player Kelon Carmichael with an undefeated 12 with two fours from eight balls, saw DCC to victory.
The Queenstown club produced Guyana’s first Test player Maurius Fernandes, who in 1930 at Bourda led the West Indies to their first ever Test victory at the venue. Test players Lance Gibbs, Clive Lloyd, Roy Fredericks, Roger Harper and Travis Dowlin have also played for DCC, who has been invited to a t20 tournament in Trinidad for the second time.
However, the last time, in 2008, would have been a forgettable experience when DCC were controversially dumped out of the WIPA t20 festival at the second round stage.
Coach Gavin Nedd, the former Guyana Off-Spinner, says despite the initial travel woes and hectic playing schedule, he is confident that his team will go all the way this time.
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