An unbroken 36-run fourth wicket featuring Shameer Fazal (29*) and Dillon Fernandes (15*; 2×4) guided Solomon’s XI to a seven-wicket victory over Chattergoon’s XI in the penultimate under-17 trial match organized by the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground yesterday.
Replying to Chattergoon’s XI score of 100-9 made from 30 overs after two rain interruptions forced a reduction in overs, Solomon’s XI reached 105-3 from 29.3 overs with Fernandes hitting Berbice left arm spinner Trinson Carmichael through mid on for four to seal the win.
Earlier, Chattergoon’s XI took first strike and as was the case in the first trial, they lost their skipper Harrinarine Chattergoon (1) who was once again caught by his counterpart Dexter Solomon off the bowling of Seon Daniels in the third over.
Kamal Ramkissoon (15) and Quincy Ovid-Richardson (25) posted 34 runs for the second wicket from 8.1 overs, with Ovid–Richardson getting an outside from Daniels that went to the boundary for four, followed by a pull through backward square leg also off Daniels for another boundary. At the other end, Daniels also saw an edge off Ramkissoon fly away to the boundary, while Ovid-Richardson flicked Daniels over backward square leg for another boundary to push the score to 38-1 before the first set of rain came in the eighth over at 10:14hrs with Ovid-Richardson on 24 and Ramkissoon 13.
When play restarted at 10:30hrs, Ramkissoon got a slower delivery from Daniels which he drove all along the ground on the onside for four, before he was run out by the full length of the pitch by Dwayne Singh after pushing the ball to a wide mid off and set off for an uncertain run.
Clinton Pestano followed two balls later bowled by Daniels and when the second rain interruption came, Chattergoon’s XI were 51-3 with Ovid-Richardson on 24 (4×4) and Jamally Odle (22) yet to score. Over 175 minutes were lost to rain, and when play began at 13:45hrs, the selectors decided to make it a 30 overs-a-side match.
Ovid-Richardson went soon after caught lbw to Essequibo’s Kevin Fredericks (3-17) at 60-4 and it took some resilient efforts from Odle who cut and steered Anthony Adams through point and past Fazal at slip respectively for boundaries, followed by a straight hit off Fredericks for six, that saw the score to 100-9 at the end of their 30 overs.
Singh, who accounted for Arif Habib and Sharmindra Hardyal in the lower order of Chattergoon’s XI innings, ended with 2-7 from three overs and along with Daniels (2-27), offered support to Fredericks.
When Solomon’s XI began their reply, they lost opener Herrell Greene (8) who despite having struck left arm swing bowler Andre Stoll through point for four, and was given a life by wicketkeeper Andy Mohan off national under-19 fast bowler Keon Joseph, was caught by Kevin Ogle (1-8) off Jospeh at 25-1 in the fifth over.
The diminutive Dominique Rikhi (10) and Fazal who both endured a period of fast and uncontrolled bowling from Joseph, who sent down nine no balls and five wides, then added 27 runs for the second wicket before Rikhi was run out in the 13th over.
Dayanand Roopnarine (03) joined Fazal and they added 17 runs for the third wicket before the former skied an Ogle delivery to present Chattergoon with an easy catch at extra cover.
At this point, Fazal who was given a life by Mohan who failed to execute a stumping opportunity off Guyana and West Indies under-15 right arm leg spinner Amir Khan when on 16 at 60-2, was joined by Fernandes, who was also given a life by Mohan off Habib and they saw their team home.
Fernandes made up for his poor showing in the first match, when he swept Khan to long leg for four and fittingly sealed the victory for his team who lost the first trial match played at the same venue by two runs, when he drove Carmichael through mid on for another.
Once again, the batsmen failed to make any impact in this game, especially with the introduction of the slower bowlers who conceded a total of 54 runs from 16.3 overs, and with the junior selection panel led by chairman Lennox Hunte, selecting the squad after today’s final trial game at the same venue, not much can be said of the batsmen.
In fact, there were only three half centuries, (Greene’s first round 71 against Demerara, Odle’s 54 against Essequibo and Stoll’s even 50 against Berbice) that were scored from the commencement of the GCB/Clico sponsored two-day under-17 Inter county tournament which began two weeks ago.
Even though the batsmen have been getting starts especially the middle order, they have still been posing worrying signs for the selectors as they have not carried on to make an impact. Much more needs to be done if Guyana expects to win the Regional Under-17 tournament that is being organized and sponsored by the Trinidad and Tobago Cricket Board in December.
