Latest update January 23rd, 2025 7:40 AM
GFP Inter-division t20 cricket…Benn lead HQ straight to repeat title
By Sean Devers
Guyana Police Force (GPF) Headquarters’ (HQ) top gun Trevor Been was yesterday armed with plenty heavy artillery and completely blew away the meek resistance of Essequibo’s G division whose tiny pistols were no match for his assault rifles in the deciding match of the GFC Inter-division t20 cricket competition at Eve Leary.
The victorious HQ t20 team celebrate at Eve Leary yesterday after retaining their title (Sean Devers photo)
The 26-year-old Benn, who toured with Guyana’s Fist-Class team last year but is yet to make his regional debut, smashed eight sixes and five fours in an explosive 38-ball 84 as defending champions HQ made 200 off 19.3 overs in scorching heat.
The hyper-active Benn, surprisingly discarded by Essequibo’s cricket selectors, ignored a side strain to return with the ball to take 4-9 from four overs of spin as the Lawmen from Essequibo were bowled out in quick time despite 29 from Mustapha Zaman, 15 from Kevon Kumar and an unbeaten 12 with a six and four from Rawle Haynes.
Benn, who tore into the shell-shocked Essequibians with all guns blazing, got support from his brother Troy Benn (35) Kelvin Leitch (25) and Munilall Persaud (21) to give their supports plenty to shout about.
Haynes took 3-30 and Kwesi Abrams 2-34, but although the pitch was flat and the outfield fast, needing to score at over 10 runs per over to win was always going to be a difficult task for the G Division unit.
Leitch who took 3-24 and National athletics Coach Linden Wilson, who confused the batsmen with a succession of drifters, to finish with 1-8 from four overs, supported the versatile Benn, also an athletics sprinter.
Presidential Guards finished runners-up in the nine team competition, which was well coordinated by Linden Matthews, while Benn took both the Man-of-the match award in the final match and the Man-of-the-Series awards.
Meanwhile, Benn who plays first division cricket in Georgetown for Police told Kaieteur Sport that he was no longer interested in representing Essequibo at the inter-county level and was now available for Demerara or the President’s X1 in the future.
The energetic pacer said after representing his team (East Bank Essequibo) in this year’s Essequibo competition which was used to pick the Essequibo team for the GCB four team 50-over competition, he was not selected.
“I called the head Essequibo selector to inquire what had caused my omission and he said I was just not selected. I asked if it was due to discipline or any other non-cricketing reason and he said no…adding that I can’t make the Essequibo team,” an upset Benn said.
Man-of-the Series Trevor Benn has his hands full after dominating the competition.
Benn feels that Essequibo cricket will continue to struggle because of the politics in the Essequibo board where he said many people are only interested in promoting those from their areas even if it means the team doing badly.
“I am not boasting but I play my cricket in the city which has the highest standard of cricket in Guyana and it is hard to think I cannot be even in an Essequibo squad when you look at how they to play in the inter-county tournaments. I will continue to train hard and enjoy my cricket but I am no longer interested in a being apart of Essequibo’s cricket since I don’t believe the people who run cricket there are interested in winning. They seem to just enjoy being in positions and looking after their own,” Benn opined.
Meanwhile, the winner and runner-up trophies for the GPF competition were donated by the Trophy stall, while the Man-of the Match trophy was donated by Ovid Glasgow and the Man-of-the-Match by Joseph Lewis.
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