– West Berbice crushed by 158 runs
A defiant 76 from national middle-order batsman Gajanand Singh followed by a destructive spell of fast bowling from former Berbice Under-19 left-arm fast bowler Devendra Ramoutar (6-17), propelled Young Warriors into the Berbice zone semi-finals of the Guyana Cricket Board/Neal and Massy sponsored nationwide first division 40-overs competition.
The win by Young Warriors who still have one match to play has pushed them to 12 points and level with West Berbice who have completed their quota of matches but still are two points adrift of leaders Bermine.
In the match played at Cumberland ground and reduced to 38 overs-a-side, Young Warriors winning the toss and opting to take first strike, made 203 from 34.2 overs, to which West Berbice were demolished for 45 from 18.4 overs in reply. When Young Warriors batted, they must have rued that decision when West Berbice’s opening fast bowlers in national Under-19 pacer Keyron Fraser, and former Berbice Under-17 cricketer Asif Khan reduced them to 37-4.
It took a restorative partnership of 87 between Singh and Berbice limited overs all rounder Paul Wintz to get their team back on course and another 60-run partnership between Singh and his brother Ishwar which took Warriors to 203 all out in 34.2 overs.
G. Singh top scored with 76 which was decorated with 10 fours, while Wintz made 46 and Ishwar Singh 25 against the bowling of off spinner Dennis Webster (3-21,former Berbice Under-15 fast bowler Roun Johnson (3-25)and Fraser (2-15) for West Berbice.
In response, West Berbice never got going and by the end of the second over they were 0-3, with Ramoutar (6-17)and Wintz doing the damage for Young Warriors.
Worse was to follow as Ramoutar snared three more scalps in his second over and the fourth of West Berbice’s innings to leave the visitors dead and virtually buried at 8-6 from four overs.
He picked up his sixth wicket in his third over to leave West Berbice tottering on 15 for 7 before Krishnadat Ramoo (9) and Keno Gravesande (9)halted the rut with a 18 run partnership. But the innings was terminated shortly after their dismissal, as West Berbice catapulted to a meagre 45, handing Young Warriors victory by 158 runs.
Young Warriors final group B match will be against bottom of the table Blairmont Community Centre at Cumberland tomorrow and a victory would put Young Warriors, top of the group and subsequent zone winners, while a rained out encounter would still guarantee them a semi-final place.
