DCC beat depleted Lusignan, NL Cavaliers/MSC clash ends in draw

By Sean Devers
Lusignan Sports Club is one of the top 2nd division teams in the country but if they are to justify the decision of the Demerara Cricket Board (DCB) to have them play in the National 3-Day 1st division cricket competition they will have to show a lot more respect for this level of cricket.
Yesterday they turned up at DCC for the final day of their Demerara zone match against DCC struggling on 157-7 without 2 of the players who had to bat.
They finished on 153-8 innings closed and this lack of discipline might be condoned in East Coast cricket but not at this level in a competition in which the GCB is spending scare funds to finance.
DCC hit off the required 33 runs losing one wicket with Omesh Danram making 18 not out and the emphatic 9 wicket win for the City side was completed well before lunch.
Not only did Lusignan’s failure to ensure their full team turned up prevent national left-arm spinner Totaram Bishun (who finished with 14 wickets in the match) from taking a possible 7 wickets in the 2nd innings but it must be an embarrassment for embattled Demerara Cricket Board President Bissoon Singh, who is also the East Coast Board head and a Vice-President on the Guyana Board.
Over in West Demerara, New Line Cavaliers and Malteenoes Sports Clubs (MSC) played to a draw with the city side taking 1st innings points.
NL Cavaliers began the final day on 121-5, a lead of 103 and prolonged their innings well past lunch with Berbician Balram Samaroo hitting an accomplished 48.  He got support from two other Berbicians; Paul Wintz, who added 20 to his overnight 9 and former West Indies test leg-spinner Mahendra Nagamootoo who followed up his 5-wicket haul in the MSC first innings with a cameo 21.
Set 218 for victory in little over a session, MSC, who beat Police in their first round game, finished on 119-3 with Skipper Steven Jacobs falling for 58. National all-rounder Deon Ferrier, who has not been dismissed by a bowler in his last six innings, was unbeaten on 21.
The next round of the competition continues this weekend and NL Cavaliers with 15 points from a win against DCC and yesterday’s draw will be keen for some more points in their debut 3-day first division season, while MSC with 18 points, will also hunt more points in their 3rd round encounter.
GCC crushed UG by an innings in one day last week Saturday in the other game played in this round in the Demerara zone.