Hetymer, Johnson & Sarwan hit 50s; GCC beat T&T touring team

West Indies Under-19 Opener Shemron Hetymer, West Indies left-hander Leon Johnson and former West Indies Captain Ramnaresh Sarwan all stroked half-centuries yesterday at Bourda as GCC beat the touring Oral Export team of Trinidad & Tobago by 143 runs.
On a day blessed with glorious sunshine, an almost full strength GCC elected to bat on a flat track and, on the back of a pugnacious 74 from teenager Hetymer and an accomplished 63 from Johnson reached an imposing 251-7 off 25 overs on the fast outfield.
Satyam Maharaj captured the wickets of Johnson and Guyana Franchise player Bajan Raymon Reifer for the visitors who were restricted to 108-5 from 25 overs despite a classy 59 from the still elegant Sarwan batting in ‘Trini’ colors as guest player.
But no one else apart from another guest player, Vivian Albert (13*) reached double figures.
Stephon Wilson and left-arm Essequibo Inter-County spinner Anthony Adams took two wickets for the local side.
Without Ricardo Mohamed and Guyana Captain Vishaul Singh who is getting married today but was at the ground to urge his team on, GCC were given a solid start by openers Martin Pestano-Bell (25) and Berbice player Hetymer shared in a commanding 125-run partnership.
The 18-year-old Hetymer flourished after a somewhat slow start and clobbered Sarwan’s spin for two fours and the first six of the contest in an over which cost 27 runs.
Hetymer whose entertaining knock was decorated 11 fours and a six was removed by Rajiv Soomarie.
Six runs later Albert, charging in from long-on, held a stupendous catch, diving full length forward to send Pestano-Bell packing off leg-spinner Ramkhalawan.
Reifer, in his first match since arriving here just over two weeks ago, hit Satyam Maharaj for Bhaskar Yadram to hold his second catch in the deep as the left-handed Reifer departed for eight at 145-3. But the 28-year-old Johnson, who has played four Tests, hit national Under-17 leg-spinner Tameshwar Motilal back over his head for six before rocking back and pulling him audaciously for four to gallop into the 30s.
Johnson, who along with Rajendra Chandrika, departs for Barbados for a two-week batting camp ahead of the Sri Lanka series in October, pounced on Motiram like a cat upon a mouse and smashed him for consecutive sixes over mid-wicket before Motilal removed Elon Fernandes (16) to leave GCC on 181-4.
National U-17 skipper Renaldo Ali-Mohamed (2) was bowled by Albert and Johnson, who only arrived in Guyana from New York the night before, was dismissed at 238-6 after hitting two fours and four sixes.
Deonarine Balgobin (18) was then run out at 247-7.
The tourists lost their first wicket in Joshua Ward’s first over at 12-1 but the 35-year-old Sarwan who has 15 centuries from 87 Tests, joined Skipper Devendra Maharaj who played the supporting in their 51-run second wicket stand. Sarwan had the fair sized gathering on their feet with a flurry of enterprising stroke-play in an over from Ward who shared the new ball with Reifer.
The former Guyana Captain, who was signed to play for T&T in the last Regional tournament, caressed Ward exquisitely to the cover boundary for a couple of majestic fours before going over cover for another four.
Sarwan was not done yet and a magnificent straight six was followed by a perfectly timed strength push which reached the boundary like a bullet.
Sarwan’s entertaining 59 included seven fours and six and when he played a tired looking drive to be caught in the deep, many of the fans were shaking their heads at such a waste of brilliant talent.
Yadram was bowled for a first ball duck as two wickets tumbled at 53 and the visitors, who will play their final game tomorrow at Everest, never recovered.
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