The recently selected Guyana Under-19 team which is under the leadership of Anthony Bramble played to a draw against a Rest Team yesterday in the two-day practice match at the Eve Leary Sports Club Ground after resuming from their overnight score of 90–3.
The U-19 squad which will be competing in the annual TCL U-19 tournament crumbled to 191 from 64.5 overs, in reply to the opposition’s first innings score of 280 on day one and trailed by 89 runs.
The Rest Team then took the opportunity to extend their lead and did so in a dominating fashion. Led by a sterling performance from Andrew Lyght Jnr, they rattled up a second innings score of 254 all out to put the U-19 team down by 343 runs.
The action which began around 10 am saw number three batsman Jeetendra Sookdeo and all-rounder Royston Alkins putting up some resistance against the experienced bowling attack of the Rest Team.
They featured in a partnership worth 61 runs. Sookdeo was then stopped on 63 in the disciplined innings where he faced 140 balls and slapped five boundaries, while Alkins kept the board ticking over in his score of 35 from 40 balls which was laced with three sixes.
Opening batsman Trevon Griffith (18) was the only other batsman to get a good start but was dismissed shortly after. Ameer Khan was the pick of the bowlers for the opposition with 2–66 as Steven Jacobs and Christopher Barnwell both grabbed one wicket each for 10 and 17 runs respectively.
The Rest Team got off to a fiery start in their second innings. Lyght who made an ebullient 94 from 50 balls rocked the Under-19 team entirely.
He got to his first landmark (50) in just 26 balls by slamming four fours and five of his 11 sixes at that point. His innings then became more belligerent when he cracked the remainder of sixes to get him up to his final score of 94 before falling to Jonathan Foo on his 50th delivery.
Lyght received sterling support from Barnwell who made 56 in just 42 balls (7×4, 2×6). His innings then came to a halt when he was caught short of his crease. Kelon Carmichael (32) also put up a worthy contribution to establish the mammoth total.
Totaram Bishun finished with 3-54 for Guyana U-19. Alkins and Foo grabbed two wickets for 37 and 49 runs, while Griffith and leg spinner Dennis Legay claimed one wicket each.
During Lyght’s explosive innings, pacer Andre Stoll was under fire going for 41 runs in three overs while his bowling partner Seon Daniel went for just nine runs.
