Barbados win TCL Group regional three-day U-19 title

Jul 27, 2008 Sports

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Hetmyer hits brilliant 105 as Guyana draw against T&T

By Sean Devers in Barbados
In association with Digicel, TCL, Pepsi, Smalta, Demerara Power Company & Lifetime Realty

Host Barbados claimed their ninth regional under-19 three-day cricket title after they held on for a draw against Jamaica in their final round TCL Group regional under-19 match yesterday, while defending champions Guyana, on the back of a brilliant century from Seon Hetmyer, drew their final round clash against Trinidad and Tobago at the Lester Vaughan ground to take the second position.

Scores: Guyana 227 & 289-8, T&T 336-9 declared.
Trinidad and Tobago, hunting their first title since 2005, declared on their overnight 336-9 with pacer Hakeem Mitchell unbeaten on 62 and Guyana reached 289-8 when the game was called off at 16:41hrs with eight of the mandatory 15 overs remaining. Guyana finished on 34 points while T&T ended on 30.

Guyana Skipper Eugene LaFleur’s left shoulder injury necessitated him seeking medical attention yesterday morning and his team’s only hope of claiming a hat-trick of titles was an outright win for them and defeat for Barbados.

This scenario was very unlikely at the start of the final day of the three-day tournament and by lunch yesterday, with the South Americans on 111-3, this turned to a virtual impossibility.

The deteriorating condition of Leon Scott’s back injury also added to the Guyanese woes as they surrendered their title despite an authoritative innings from the 17-year-old Hetmyer, who struck 11 fours and a six from his 221-balls and 284-minute ton.

Guyana, the champions for the last two years, set 109 to avoid an innings defeat, were off to a solid start in steaming heat on a track which was still very good for batting. Trinidad and Tobago, who had to win outright and hope Barbados were beaten to win the title, attacked from the inception yesterday but Fredricks counter-attacked with a savage cut, a clip over mid-wicket and a crushing hook for fours off Mitchell to set the stage for enterprising cricket in the first session.

The left-hander from Essequibo slashed pacer Sheldon Dogan over point for four and his positive mindset was a refreshing aspect of Guyana’s cricket yesterday.  Griffith joined in with a spanking boundary through cover off Dogan and smashed the pacer disdainfully past his ankles for another boundary as he played the supporting role in the entertaining partnership to quickly push T&T on the back foot.

The first 50-run opening stand for Guyana in the competition was achieved in 6.5 overs from 31 minutes before Fredericks edged a cut off Akeil Cooper at 57-1. His cameo 31 lasted 29 balls, 35 minutes with five fours.

Griffith then slashed off-spinner Omeshwar Ramoutar to point at 60-2 after hitting three fours from 20 balls and 41 minutes.   Dilon Heyliger opened his account with a four over mid-on off Ramoutar before he was stupendously taken at mid-on by Mitchell off Cooper for five at 69-3.      

The 100 was posted12 minutes before lunch off 24.4 overs and Hetmyer (17) and Jonathan Foo (24) saw Guyana to the interval enjoying a slim two-run lead. 

In the first over after Lunch, Foo exploded with a four and a straight six off Dogan to bring up the 50 partnership in 68 minutes off 110 balls before Hetmyer struck the pacer for three consecutive fours in his next over.  

The pair, both under-performers in this tournament, extended their half century partnership with some delightful shots on the fast outfield.  Foo hammered Cooper to the cover boundary to bring up the Guyana 150 in 153 minutes from 37.1 overs.

Just when the two Berbicians, who both played in last year’s championship winning team seemed set for big scores Foo edged a steer off Cooper and was caught behind at 157-4.

His well put together 48 lasted 85 balls, 106 minutes and included five fours and a six and his partnership with Hetmyer yielded 88 runs.

Royston Alkins joined the stylish Hetmyer who reached his first fifty at this level from 117 balls, 157 minutes with six fours.  Alkins punched Mitchell for four through cover and Hetmyer lofted left-arm spinner Yannick Ottley for a massive six and stroked Mitchell gloriously to the extra cover boundary as Guyana posted their 200 in 51.1 overs.

By tea Guyana had progressed to 217-4 with Hetmyer on 72 and Alkins on 21. 
After the break Alkins (30) drove Ramoutar to mid-off at 228-5 after hitting four fours and a six off 74 balls and 101 minutes.

Hetmyer then dispatched Ramoutar for successive boundaries to move closer to his century before Anthony Bramble (6) was caught behind off Yannick Ottley at 243-6.

Hetmyer looked nervous in the 90s and was dropped at cover off Kjorn Ottley on 99. He scrambled a single off the chance to reach his maiden ton from 279 minutes, 216 balls with 10 fours and a six to become the only Guyanese and tenth batsman to get a three-figure score in the competition.

Hetmyer then edged a catch to slip off Ramoutar at 277-8 in the dying stages of the game but by then the encounter was already condemned to a tame draw with LaFleur (8*) and Keon Joseph (7*) being undefeated at the close.

The Guyanese have decided to forgo their practice session scheduled for today to allow the players, some of whom are carrying niggling injuries, some rest ahead of their opening game against the Leeward Islands in the Limited overs series which starts on Tuesday.

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