A fiery spell of fast bowling by former Guyana U-19 speedster Kwesi Maltay and a well compiled half century by former national player Homchand Pooran enabled Sewnarine Chattergoon’s XI to score an easy victory over Narsingh Deonarine’s XI when the third trial match was played on Wednesday at the Rose Hall Community Centre Ground in East Canje.
The game, which was the final one in a series of matches organized by the Berbice Cricket Board of Control (BCBC) in order to select the team to represent the county in the DDL El Dorado Inter county limited overs competition, saw Deonarine’s XI taking first strike on a placid batting wicket and reached 179-8 in their 50 overs.
Skipper Deonarine led the way with an unbeaten 74 batting at number six which was decorated with eight well timed fours and one towering six.
Deonarine and former Berbice U-19 captain Rajiv Ivan 40 (5×4) put together 55 runs for the sixth wicket taking the score from 99-5 to 154.
This rescue act followed Maltay’s destructive burst as he took the first three wickets to fall bowling with a lot of fire on the flat pitch. Maltay beat all his victims for pace to leave Deonarine’s XI on 18-3.
They recovered to reach 77 -3 before Balram Samaroo took two quick wickets.
Deonarine and Ivan then came together at 99-5 while Paul Wintz contributed 17 at the bottom of the innings.
Maltay ended with 3-21 while off spinners Balram Samaroo and Darryl Narine supported with two wickets each.
Chattergoon’s XI in their turn at the crease reached 206-3 as the batsmen were allowed to bat out the entire 50 overs in order to get the necessary practice.
Former national player Pooran capitalized on the opportunity to reach 71 not out which included four fours and one six. He and Sasenarine Sookdeo, 36 not out (1×4, 1×6) posted a breezy 67 for the fourth wicket.
Chattergoon’s XI was never in any real trouble as Chattergoon with 34 (5×4) and opener Farouk Hussein 14 posted 55 for the first wicket.
National opener, Royston Crandon, who came in the night before the game following a successful stint overseas retired hurt on eight (2x4s) after being struck on the ankle. Crandon’s brother and national fast bowler Esaun, who also returned the night before following an overseas stint, sent down seven testing overs for 31 runs without taking a wicket.
