Leon Garrick of Vibes Sports Club scores a record 294 runs against UBACC

2011 Aug 03 by DreamCricket USA
 

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By Rula Brown of Vibes Sports Club

 

Former Jamaican opening star batsman, Leon "Gadda" Garrick, now representing Vibes Sports Club in the Georgia Supreme Cricket League (GSCL) in Atlanta, scored a scintillating 294 runs for his third consecutive century in League competitions. Garrick has scored 638 total runs in five (5) appearances in 2011.

Vibes coming off thirty eight (38) wins in a row dating back to the 2009 cricket season, came to the field with a high level of confidence. With stalwarts in their line up such as Jamaica's leg spin bowler Odean Brown, all rounder Royan Smith, Mr. fireballer Evroy Dyer, prolific batsmen Ishmael Parchment, JoeWayne Powell and the aforementioned Leon Garrick, Vibes was ready to display their talents against the formidable UBACC.

Mark "The Sheriff" Baker, captain of Vibes, won the toss spin and decided to bat first on a very hard sun baked cricket pitch.  Vibes started their innings with Leon Garrick and wicket keeper, Keeble Knight when in the third over of the day Knight was out caught by Hassan Ali off Robert Tulloch after smacking a powerful six straight to long off boundary. Meanwhile Leon Garrick was punishing the opening bowlers Robert Tulloch and Delroy Bisnott mercilessly, when UBACC's captain Alton Taylor called upon all rounder Mark Mumby to help ease the pain, but he too was met with horror when Garrick punished him with three towering sixes that almost kissed the clowdy skies. Mumby was pulled after yielding 25 runs in his only over of the day.

The incoming batsman Royan Smith came to the crease and settled in nicely with Garrick and pushed the score steadily along to a ten (10) runs per over rate. The big question at that point was would Vibes Sports Club reached the 500 run mark. 

UBACC's captain, Alton Taylor, called upon his bowlers; Atkins, Tulloch, King and Duare, but these bowlers were pulverized with boundaries after boundaries. Then captain Taylor inserted himself in the bowling attack from the spectators end when he bowled Jeremy Francois with a dandy off spin, that tickled the bails and he was gone for a duck.

Vibes prodded out in-form batsman and SER selectee, Ishamel Parchment, who can explode in a jiffy when he is focussed. Parchment carefully watched the smart and economical spin bowling attack from Taylor by taking the easy singles to square leg and the occasional boundaries.

In the interim, Leon Garrick was batting like a man on a mission.  Ismael Parchment was given a controversial run out decision when he was on 34 runs. Evroy Dyer and JoeWayne Powell came to the crease and quickly mingled in the run fest off the tepid bowling attack from UBACC's bowlers.

By this time Garrick had raced past the 200 run mark and the 200+ jubilant spectators were wondering if Garrick would get to 300 runs on this sweltering day. He played confidently hitting back to back sixes and fours. The air in the park was thick and very charged as it waited for the record breaking triple century from Garrick, but it was not meant to be when he was caught on the boundary going for a six, which would have taken him to the magnificent 300.  Robert Tulloch caught him deep on cover bounday for 294 runs.

A stellar performance in the heat with 34 fours and 15 sixes, he shattered all sorts of record in the GSCL with this tally.  The fireworks was not over when the humble Odean Brown, an excellent leg spin bowler came to bat and scored 68 runs (9x6’s & 2x4’s ) off 18 balls, at one point he slammed four consecutive sixes straight over long off. Young Jeremy McGarvey batted out the inning with Captain Mark Baker to register the mind boggling total of 535 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in 50 overs. Alton Taylor took 3 wickets for 80 runs off 10 overs for UBACC.

The sun drenched, psychologically spooked UBACC batsmen realized that at this point they had a huge uphill battle to overcome Vibes massive total of 535 runs.

On the very first ball of UBACC’s inning from Evroy Dyer to opener Glenn Atkins, he was caught by Jeremy Francois for a duck at square leg.  Five UBACC batsmen quickly fell victim to fireballer, Evroy Dyer with little resistance. At this point, spectators were buzzing whether UBACC would reach the 100 run mark. Leg spin bowler, Odean Brown came to the bowling attack and made immediate affect getting Jermaine King and Hopeton Henry.

UBACC was quicky bowled out for 81 runs. Evroy Dyer took 5 wickets for 25 runs in 7 overs and Odeen Brown, 3 wickets for 16 runs off 6 overs in preserving Vibes Sports Club record 39th win in a row.