GCB/ Keem’s Foundation ‘Cricket Cares’ for Hurricane Victims… Jaguars beat C’bean’s All Stars despite Fletcher’s 77

Oct 24, 2017 Sports, https://www.kaieteurnewsonline...espite-fletchers-77/

By Sean Devers

The T20 fund raiser for Hurricane victims between Guyana Jaguars and Caribbean All Stars on Sunday night was expected to be an explosive affair but the smallest crowd for a T20 match at Providence ensured the Event fizzled as a damp squib despite attractive half centuries from Andrew Fletcher and Sherfane Rutherford as Jaguars won by five-wickets.
The GCB collaborated with Keem’s Foundation to stage the match, in which part of the proceeds going the people of Dominica and Barbuda, devastated by the worst Hurricane season in the Caribbean. The lack of a large crowd stemmed from several factors beyond the control of the organizers.
Setting such an event in the third week of the month was always going be hard on the ‘pocket’ while the late arrival of tickets from Trinidad, the short time period for promotion and the economic downturn were factors which contributed to the poor turnout.
Rawle Ferguson, CEO of Keem’s Foundation, conceded the Event was ‘a loss’ but said as a promoter such things happen. “Keem’s Foundation will stand the cost of all the bills incurred, including flights for the overseas players and Hotel accommodation. We will also honor our obligation to donate to our brothers and sisters affected by the Hurricanes,” Ferguson disclosed.
Ferguson apologized to the spectators for not having the live performance and Cheer Leaders as promised, explaining that the Cheer Leaders who were hired never showed up, while singers Tamika Marshall and Jomo were unavoidably absent.
“Everything seemed to be against us. Tamika had to leave Guyana urgently on Sunday morning while Jomo was stranded in Lethem. Dwayne (Smith) called to say he had to accompany Chris Gayle to Court in Australia where he is suing one of the teams in the Big Bash,” Ferguson explained.
On the field, Guyana Jaguars reached 175-5 in 18.5 overs in response to the Caribbean All Stars’ 174-5 after Jaguars invited the Caribbean side to bat on a track with nice bounce under a clear evening sky.
Grenadian Fletcher and Trini Kjorn Otley executed an array of entertaining shots as the visitors galloped to 44 from the six power-play overs.
Fletcher was the more dominant and clobbered Romario Shepherd and Steven Jacobs into the sparsely populated stands, in which less than 2,000 fans, including Prime Minister Mosses Nagamootoo and Director of Sports Christopher Jones, watched the action.
The pair continued to bat positively and at the half-way stage the Caribbean team were 81-1 before leg-spinner Ramaal Lewis struck at 97-1 when he bowled the left handed Otley for a 32-ball 38 with four fours and two sixes.
Former Guyana First-Class batsman Shemroy Barrington (1) wasted his chance to impress when he hit Ricardo Adams to mid wicket a run later before Nicolas Pooran, who slammed 33 from 15 balls with two fours and three sixes was stupendously taken at long-on by Jonathon Foo at 153-3 off Shepherd.
Shepherd, bowling with good pace, rocked back the stumps of Lendl Simmons for a first-ball duck to be on a hat-trick before Fletcher was run out at 162-5 after reaching the boundary once and clearing it six times in his 57-ball 77.
Shepherd (2-39), Lewis (1-22) and Adams (1-13) took the wickets to fall to bowlers for Guyana who lost Robin Bacchus (4) off Skipper Rayad Emrit at 15-1.
Rutherford was already looking dangerous and played a number of savage cuts including one off West Indies pacer Kesrick Williams which reached the rope like a scud missile. Skipper Leon Johnson, who made 15, was content to play the supporting role before he fell to Kellon Carmichael at 84-2.
Carmichael, who bowled impressively, struck again when he removed Anthony Bramble (9) before Rutherford departed at 106-4 after making 51 from 41 balls with five boundaries to the dismay of the fans which included two of Guyana’s most die-hard fans Elizabeth Sunich and Norman the ‘Juice’ man.
Foo hit 23 from 15 balls with two fours and a six before he fell to Fidel Edwards at 139-5 before an unfinished 36-run stand between Gajanand Singh, 16 from 15 balls with two fours and Chris Barnwell, who in familiar surroundings in Guyana, smashed three scorching fours and a big six to finish on 25 from just 11 balls to see the Jaguars home with 1.1 overs to spare. Carmichael had 2-24.