saturDAY, october 4, 2014
guyanatimesGY.com
19
Anthony wins ‘Ounce of Gold’ race
– makes clean sweep of Open and Junior categories
The top performers strike a pose for Guyana Times’ Carl Croker at the conclusion of the Kadir Mohamed memorial cycle race
By Avenash Ramzan
L
inden’s Michael Anthony underlined his status as one of the country’s promising prospects with a remarkable sprint to the finish line to win the annual Kadir Mohamed memorial cycle road race, copping the coveted ounce of gold first prize. By virtue of being the first rider to cross the finish line, Anthony, who is currently unattached, also emerged winner of the Junior division. The race, which started at Homestretch Avenue and proceeded to Dora on the Linden/ Soesdyke Highway before returning to the point of origin for the finish, attracted 45 starters, and was organised by Flying Stars Cycle Club. Turning from Mandela Avenue into Homestretch Avenue, Anthony was part of a six-man peloton that had created a sizeable lead over the chasing pack
along the East Bank Demerara highway on the return journey. With the chequered flag in sight, Anthony pulled away from his opponents with a calculated sprint to lay hands on the gold and the winner’s trophy in a time of three hours, 19 minutes, 26 seconds (03h: 19m: 26s). Team Coco’s Ruben Companioni finished second best, leaving last year’s champion Paul DeNobrega, Robin Persaud, Alonzo Ambrose, Christopher Holder, Mark Harris and Mario King to occupy the six remaining podium spots. Anthony, Persaud and Junior Niles took two prime prizes each, while there was one apiece for Holder, Ambrose, DeNobrega and Christopher Griffith. In the Junior division, Ambrose took the runner-up spot to Anthony, while Kravitz Jeffrey and Griffith copped third and fourth positions respectively. The Veterans and Juveniles
The taste of gold! Michael Anthony savours the moment after winning Sunday’s ‘Ounce of Gold’ race
turned at the hill after Splashmin’s Fun Park on the upward journey with Niles winning the Under-45 ahead of Stephen Fernandes and Jaikarran Sookhai, while Ian Jackson, Kennard Lovell and Linden Blackman were 1-2-3 in the Over-45. The talented Raphael Leung took top honours in the Juveniles race, winning ahead of Jornell Yearwood. At the presentation ceremony which followed, chief organiser William Howard thanked the family of Kadir Mohamed for once again sponsoring the race. President of the Guyana Cycling Federation, Cheryl Thompson, echoed similar sentiments, adding that the race served as good warm-up for the ‘Ride for LifeFive-Stage, which pedals off on Thursday. Members of the Kadir Mohamed family were on hand to witness the race and assist in the presentation of prizes.
Smith disappointed after missing maiden ton
A
fter more than 10 years, and in his 93rd ODI, Dwayne Smith finally looked set to score his first international hundred in limited-overs cricket. West Indies, having done well to keep India to 263, were well-placed at 170-2 and were on their way to secure a morale-boosting 2-0 lead in the series with a win at the Ferozeshah Kotla. However, for the second time in the series, Smith fell to a bowler after hitting him for a six and was bowled by Mohammed Shami. Smith’s departure for 97 triggered a West Indies collapse as the visitors folded for 215, and the batsman was dis-
appointed at having missed out on a century and with the way his team-mates unraveled in the face of some incisive bowling. “I’m disappointed. I worked really hard during the CPL and since I came here to India, I really wanted to make my mark in this series,” Smith said. “Tonight I was looking to bat all the way through and take the team to victory. Someone needed to bat to the end and see the game home but unfortunately I wasn’t able to complete the job. We came close tonight and victory, would have made it 2-0, so as a team we are disappointed. We have to give India credit. They
Dwayne Smith is yet to record an ODI hundred
bowled well and stuck to their plans. “We know where we went wrong. We know we didn’t bat as well as we should have. But it’s 1-1 now in the series with three more matches to go. We are still well and truly in this series. We will look to come back and win the series. We have what it takes to win.” Smith was the second highest run-scorer in IPL 2014 and has been in good touch in Twenty20 cricket, aiding Barbados Tridents in their CPL title triumph. His ODI form since his return to the team in February, however, has been inconsistent: he managed just one fifty, against Ireland, in the
four games preceding this series and had missed the limited-overs legs of the series against New Zealand and Bangladesh. Smith, though, said he backed his technique to come good on a two-paced Feroz Shah Kotla track. “I went to the nets and changed a few things for this pitch. I have played here close to 10 times so I know how this pitch plays. It’s not a bad pitch but you have to be watchful and know your scoring areas,” Smith said. “You have to really settle yourself and pace your innings on this pitch. You have to look to get on the front foot and back your technique.” (Cricinfo)