Ricardo Adams blasted an unbeaten 116 to set up a thrilling come-from-behind win for Essequibo; which pulled off a brazen heist, beating Georgetown by three wickets to wrap up a successful fourth round of the GCB/Jaguars Franchise League 3-day tournament on Sunday.
Shimron Hetmyer
Chasing 193 for a win and a chance to maintain their number one spot, Essequibo were left in tatters as Chris Barnwell, who ended with six wickets, ripped through the top-order to end with 4-37. But the burly left-handed Adams proceeded to smash his second ton of the tournament after resuming his innings on 95, rescuing his team from peril at 40-5, and taking them to 194-7.
Mark Williams, who resumed his innings on 34, played a brave hand before being dismissed for 43, narrowly missing out on what would have been a well-deserved half-century.
Resuming on 155-5, Adams and Williams had a chance to relax prior to resuming their innings, due to rain which forced a late start to the final day.
Ricardo Adams
Ricardo Adams wasted no time in reaching his ton, to lusty cheers from an appreciative Tuschen crowd. When Williams departed, skipper Anthony Adams (00*) came to the middle, but was a mere spectator, as the centurion knocked off the few runs required for the win.
Georgetown never seemed to be in the game. They were bowled out for 117 in the first innings, but through more application made 243 in the second innings, thanks mainly to Leon Johnson’s 91 and Barnwell’s 48. Essequibo managed 170 batting first, with Ricardo Adams and Keemo Paul being the primary scorers, each with scores in the 40s.
Over at Bush Lot Ground, home team West Berbice beat East Coast Demerara by three wickets, thanks to West Indies Test player Shimron Hetmyer, who cracked 114. Resuming on their overnight score of 179 for 9 in reply to East Coast Demerara’s first innings score of 143 all out, West Berbice folded for 187 off 61.4 overs to record a lead of 44.
East Coast Demerara, in their second innings, compiled a daunting 321 all out off 81.2 overs, leaving the West Berbicians staring at 278 for victory. The tall ask was, however, simplified when Hetmyer and Raffel Estraidd (55) set the tone for a successful chase.
East Bank suffered a huge loss — by an innings and 116 runs — at Port Mourant Ground. This was administered at the hands of Lower Corentyne. Needing 289 to win, after being reduced to 43-5 at close of play on day two, thanks to Niall Smith’s 5-for, East Bank were bowled out for 173 runs.
