By Calvin Roberts
Essequibo proved they have Berbice’s number when for the third year running they defeated them in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) senior women’s Inter County competition after pulling off a nail- biting, one- wicket victory at the Lusignan Community Centre ground, yesterday.
After going down to Demerara by 11 runs in their first- round encounter in a tournament sponsored by Geddes Grant (Guyana) Limited through its Jergens products brand, Essequibo invited Berbice to take first strike and bowled them out for 85 from 21.5 overs before replying with 86-9 in 33.3 overs.
The Berbicians failed to apply themselves on a good batting wicket as they lost their wickets through some poor shot selection against the Cinderella County bowling led by player of the match Olivia O’ Selmo, who grabbed 4-14.
Captain althea Newark signalled the intentions of things to come by her team when she sent back opener Katana Mentore without scoring off the second ball of the first over. It became 7-2 when Melina Henry was caught off Kumarie Persaud and when Shemaine Campbell (06) who was caught by Wazeeda Bacchus off Marina Bridgemohan and Natasha Gangoo (18) became the first of O’ Selmo’s four wickets, Essequibo were in some trouble at 23-4.
Their 50 was realized in the 14th over, but they had already lost seven wickets including that of their captain Tremayne Smartt and slipped further down the barrel of destruction at 65-9. It took a 20- run, tenth wicket partnership featuring 18 year old Hermala Sewdat and Nikita Toney to help restore some pride for the Berbicians. O’ Selmo with 4-14 who along with Bridgemohan 2-19 and Persaud 2-25 did the damage ensuring none of the Berbice batters got into double figures after Gangoo.
As was the case in the opening round match, extras were the main contributor with 32 including 30 wides.
When Essequibo began their reply, their openers Bacchus and Maxine Williams posted 34 runs for the first wicket. But when Bacchus was caught by Smartt at cover off Shemaine Campbell, every thing went into disarray for the Essequibians.
Newark and Bridgemohan then displayed level heads and aided by some wayward bowling posted 28 runs for the sixth wicket. But Bridgemohan, who made 12, needlessly gifted her wicket when she was bowled by Campbell and when Smartt introduced herself into the attack to claim four middle and lower order wickets, Essequibo had looked set to lose their second consecutive match in this year’s tournament.
They however reached their target in the 34th over when Judith Williams swept a delivery that went down the leg side from Nikita Toney for two to third man, wild celebrations began for the Essequibians who had completed a hat trick of victories over their opponents, leaving the tournament wide open.
Smartt (4-12), Campbell (3-17) and Gangoo (2-10) were the wicket takers for Berbice who now need to defeat Demerara handsomely in order to win the competition when the two meet on Sunday at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, Queenstown.
