By Calvin Roberts

The first three-day trial match organized by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) ended in a draw on Friday after Royston Alkins’s XI, needing to score 188 for victory in one-and-a-half hours, reached 86-2 when stumps were drawn.
Scores in the match: Eugene La Fleur’s XI 275 and 139-6 declared; Alkins’s XI 226 and 86-2.
Ravindra Parsram, 37, Michael Felix, 32 and Sahadeo Somai, 22 not out, were the principal scorers for La Fleur’s XI in their second innings total after they were 76-5 at one stage.
Skipper Alkins himself did the damage with 4-40 while Calvin Sookraj supported with 1-4 on a flat wicket.
Alkins’s XI, in reply, were off to a good start with openers Trevon Griffith (47) and Rajendra Nikbarran (40) adding 84 runs for the first wicket.
Nikbarran, who was looking well set for a big score in his team’s run chase, offered Stephen Latcha an easy catch at cover off the bowling of left arm fast bowler Orin De Freitas after facing 71 balls and striking six fours.
Griffith was next to go after he skied a full toss from Parsram to backward square leg where Colin Duke took the easy catch which signalled the end of the match.
He faced 79 balls and struck six fours and one six.
Sookraj was yet to open his account when play was called off.
De Freitas 1-2 and Parsram 1-6 were the successful bowlers for La Fleur’s XI.
The second trial match will be played from Tuesday-Thursday at the Police Sports Club ground, Eve Leary.