Butts roll back the years as GNIC register lone win

May 04, 2009 Sports

Fifty-one year-old former West Indies Test off-spinner Clyde Butts rolled back the years with a fine all-round performance to spur GNIC to an emphatic seven-wicket victory against Transport Sports Club (TSC) yesterday in the latest round of the Georgetown Cricket Association’s two-day first division cricket competition.

Butts, the Chairman of the West Indies selectors who made his First-Class debut 28 years ago, hit a robust 70 to spur GNIC to 207 from an overnight position of 119-6 in their first innings and then grabbed three wickets to help dismiss TSC for 138 in their second innings giving GNIC a victory target of 60 runs.

Travis Giddings took all three of the wickets to fall in a losing effort as TSC, who made 129 in their first innings, could not prevent GNIC from reaching 61-3 in their second innings just before tea on the final day.

First-Class pacer Rayon Griffith supported Butts with 25 as GNIC took a lead of 78 runs before Steven Alves (40) and Giddings (30) offered some resistance in TSC’s second innings as the wily Butts and Ken Alphonso took three wickets each.

Former National youth player Ejaz Mohamed made 28 for GNIC despite the early scare caused by Giddings.

In the other match in the round, GCC had to settle for first innings points in their drawn encounter with Everest at Bourda after being set 211 for an improbable victory in 20 minutes plus the mandatory 15 overs on the final day.

GCC reached 78-0 in 14 overs with Wasim Haslim hitting a blistering unbeaten 55, with nine fours and first innings centurion Ricardo Jadunauth on 20.

GCC began on their overnight 173-5 replying to Everest’s 172 and declared at 230-8 after batting for an hour yesterday with a lead of 58.

Jadunauth extended his first day 101 to 134 while former Guyana 20/20 Keeper Tyrell Tull hit four fours in 34.

Demerara under-19 leg-spinner Amir Khan grabbed 4-75 for Everest who were dismissed for 268 in their second innings with former Guyana youth player Sauid Drepaul, who made 76 in the first innings, falling 43 short of his fourth division one ton and third against GCC.

The left-handed Drepaul hit 10 fours and a six in his innings and got support from Skipper Surendra Herilall (41), Dayanand Roopnarine (35), Chris Patandin (33) and Khan (32) as Jadunauth took 3-43, West Indies player Leon Johnson 3-50 and Treon Ford 2-56. (Sean Devers)