GCB 50-over Franchise Barnwell’s outstanding showing sets up today’s final with GT and E’bo at Providence

Jan 24, 2018 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...d-ebo-at-providence/

By Sean Devers
An outstanding all-round performance from 31-year-old Chris Barnwell powered Georgetown into today’s final of the GCB’s 50-over Franchise League against defending three-day Champions Essequibo with an emphatic 123-run win over Lower Corentyne at Providence yesterday.
Barnwell was a one man army as he smashed eight sixes and four fours in an explosive 98-ball 101 but only Robin Bacchus (23), Andrew Lyght Jnr (21) and Paul Wintz (16) reached 15 on a flat track in sunny conditions at the City Franchise reached 116 all out in 44.1 overs.
Royton Crandon bagged 4-47 with his off-spin while Veerasammy Permaul, Kassim Khan and Nail Smith took two wickets each for Lower Corentyne who were bundled out for 93 in 26 overs.
Jonathon Foo, left out of the Jaguars 50-over team, offered brief hope for the Berbicians with an attractive 34-ball 32 with three fours but only Sharaz Ramcharran (21) and Devon Clements (16) got into double figures.
Wintz (4-20), Barnwell (2-19), Kellon Carmichael (2-24) and Jamaican off-spinner Ramaal Lewis who celebrated his call up to the Jaguars limited over squad with 2-4, conspired to destroy the much vaunted Lower Corentyne line-up.
The game, originally scheduled for Albion in Berbice, was reduced to a 46 over affair due to late arrival of the Berbicians and Bacchus and Lyght added 33 for the first wicket before Bacchus was bowled by Smith.
Lyght and Johnson took the score 51 before Skipper Permaul trapped Lyght LBW and seven runs later Georgetown were 58-3 when Johnson, the 30-year-old Guyana Captain, seemed unlucky be adjudged LBW to his unrelated name-sake Raun Johnson for seven.
Shemroy Barrington (10) was removed by Permaul at 83-4, while Dexter Solomon (9) was caught and bowled by Khan as G/town slipped to 105-5.
But Barnwell, known for his dominance at the local level was already looking ominous after being dropped before he had scored by Permaul off his own bowling.
Barnwell launched into Ramcharran and clobbered him for three sixes in one over before thumping Khan in the Green Stand and back over his head for sixes to bring –up his fifty.
With the Chairman of the National Selectors watching, Barnwell effortlessly deposited pacer Johnson on top of the players’ Pavilion to send a strong message to Griffith that he could be considered to resume his 36-match National 50-over career once Raymond Reifer leaves the Regional Super50 for ‘A’ team duties.
But even as Barnwell was blasting the ball to all parts of the ground, wickets were tumbling around him.
Smith bowled Lewis (14) at 169-6 and when Barnwell was well taken inches from the ropes at long-on by Gajanand Singh off Crandon, his demise triggered a collapse as four wickets fell for 12 runs.
Lower Corentyne started in horrendous fashion losing Singh for duck; caught behind by Solomon off Wintz to give the Keeper the first of his five catches to leave the score on 10-1.
Ramcharran was caught Solomon bowled Wintz at 30-2 before Seon Hetymer, the elder brother of Windies batsman Shimron, lost his off-stump to Carmichael for seven and Crandon was LBW in the same without addition to the score to leave Lower Corentyne struggling on 39-4.
Clements and Foo added 43 for the fifth wicket before Foo was removed by Barnwell who also had Jason Sinclair (1) to leave the score on 85-6 and when Lewis trapped Lewis in front at 85-7 it was all over bar the shouting as Wintz and Lewis wrapped up the tail.
Today’s action is scheduled to commence at 09:30hrs.