UWI (T&T) t20 cricket … DCC advance to tonight’s final as on fire Singh cops fourth MOM Award

Jan 15, 2017 Sports, http://www.kaieteurnewsonline....ps-fourth-mom-award/

By Sean Devers
With DCC needing two runs to win from seven balls, the left-handed Gajanand Singh hit T&T First-Class pacer Navin Stewart for six over long off to spark ecstatic celebrations in the DCC camp on Friday night at UWI St Augustine, Trinidad as the Guyanese side marched into tonight’s final of the 2017 UWI t20 with a seven-wicket win against defending Club Crusoe of Tobago.

The 29-year-old Singh, a former West Indies Youth player who played in 2006 U-19 World Cup in Sri Lanka and with two fifties from 10 First-Class games between 2008 and 2011, stroked a masterful unbeaten 88 from 46 balls with 2 sixes and 11 fours, setting the Sir Clyde Walcott ground on fire.

This was his fourth consecutive undefeated half-century in the tournament and he got support from former West Indies t20 wicketkeeper Darwin Christian who made 42 from 23 balls with two sixes and four fours.

Andrew Lyght who scored 22 with 3 fours and wicketkeeper Kemol Savory with 19 also contributed as DCC reached 192-3 in 19 overs in reply to Club Crusoe’s 187-7 in 20 overs.

Skipper Navin Stewart made 47 from 22 balls with six sixes and two fours and got support from Leron Lazama whose 39 came from 30 and Vincent who smashed 34 from just 19 balls. Off-spinner Singh (2-24) and Kellon Carmichael (2-32) did the damage for the Guyanese team.

Watched by a noisy crowd under clear skies DCC won the toss and elected to field first and club Crusoe were off to a flying start from Iraq Thomas (20) and Christopher Vincent (34) on a lightning fast outfield much to the delight of the partisan fans.

Christian broke the partnership when Thomas, who faced 15 balls, was caught by Steven Sankar before Vincent who faced 19 balls was bowled by the versatile Singh.

Gajanand Singh with his 4th consecutive MOM Award on Friday night.

Stewart and Lazama joined forces and continued the hectic scoring but once Lazama was removed by Carmichael and National Youth left-arm spinner Ashmead Nedd bowled Stewart, the momentum changed.

Two run outs and an important wicket from Carmichael put the brakes on the scoring as only Zaad Clarke with an unbeaten 20 from 14 balls batting at number nine, of the remaining batsmen got into double figures as the five wickets tumbled for 32 runs.

Singh, who played two Regional One-Day games in 2008, oozed confidence and played an array of pugnacious shots before Lyght was removed by Vincent at 35-1 and when Ancil Nedd got rid of Savory and Stewart dismissed Cohen Ismond (5) the defending champ were still in the contest.

But Christian, DCC’s Skipper, joined Singh and shared in a half-century unfinished fourth wicket partnership to see their team to an exciting victory. Singh, in the form of his life collected his fourth Man-of-the-match Award in as many matches.

DCC will battle the winner of the second semi-final between Cane Farm and Merry Boys which was scheduled for last night.

Club Crusoe, Merry Boys, QPCC, Demerara Club (Guyana), Munroe Road, Moosai, Cane Farm, Central Sports, UWI, Defence Force, Police and Duncan/Buggy Haynes were the teams competing for the winner’s purse of (tt) $40,000) while the runners-up take home (tt) $20,000.