Berbice completed an emphatic seven-wicket victory over Demerara on the last day of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) senior four-day tournament that concluded yesterday at the Everest Cricket Club ground.
The team from the Ancient County lifted the championship trophy after playing unbeaten throughout the tournament. They reached their target in 72 overs after they were set 279.
Captain Assad Fudadin led from the front once again with 86 while Delbert Hicks, from his overnight score of 19, scored 70 and Homchand Pooran, after his first innings score of 80, made an undefeated 68.
The Demerara bowlers who toiled for the entire day and Zaheer Mohammed was the chief wicket taker with two wickets for 44 runs from 19 overs. The Rest XI is the runner-up team after they beat Essequibo by an innings and 49 runs and took first innings honours against Demerara, pocketing $150,000.
After the presentation ceremony, where Berbice collected $200,000 for the title, Fudadin said that he is overjoyed at winning the tournament while extending credit to all the members of the team. He said that all the players supported each other and himself as captain of the team.
When Stabroek Sport enquired about his thoughts on the standard of the tournament he noted that it was a “bit below par” but there were some periods where high quality cricket was played.
Demerara resumed the last day in the same cautious vein with Arthley Bailey and Hicks but Bailey only added four runs to his overnight score before he was bowled by off-spinner Mohammed for 18. This broke the opening stand of 57 runs from 20.2 overs.
Hicks continued but there was more urgency in the scoring when he was joined by Fudadin. The captain treated off spinner Steven Jacobs with little respect, hoisting him for six twice along with some boundaries early in his innings.
Eventually Hicks brought up his half century, after hitting some boundaries of his own, in 91 balls that included three boundaries and a six in a time of 114 minutes. He looked set to record three figures after his first 50 as he picked up the single regularly to give Fudadin, who was more aggressive, on strike.
However, Mohammed, whose bowling was way below, bowled him for 70 to break a 93-run partnership. His knock was decorated with eight boundaries and two sixes. Berbice went to lunch on 161-2 from 45 overs.
After lunch Fudadin continued with Pooran who had already started to assert himself with his confident stroke play. Berbice were coasting along when Jacobs, who bowled with little luck, had Fudain brilliantly caught by the diving substitute fielder Leon Scott on the midwicket boundary when the score was 225 in the 62nd over.
He took 155 minutes and faced 118 balls which included eight boundaries and three maximums. Pooran scaled up the scoring to reach his half century before he hit the winning run. He reached the boundary four times and cleared it three times.
Screboard
Demerara first innings 248 (85.4)
R. Chandrika 100, D. Bishoo 6-74
Berbice first innings 304 (72)
H. Pooran 80, T. Gonsalves 3-52
Demerara second innings 334 (99.5)
R. Chandrika 85, V. Permaul 5-98
Berbice second innings set 279 for victory
A. Bailey b Mohammed 18
D. Hicks b Mohammed 70
A. Fudadin c sub Scott b Jacobs 86
H. Pooran not out 68
R. Latchana not out 8
Extras: (b-20, lb-7, nb-2) 29
Total: (from 72 overs) 279
FOW: 1-57 (Bailey 20.2), 2-150 (Hicks 36.20, 3-225 (Fudadin 61.1)
Bowling
A. Stoll 10-1-46-0
S. Jacobs 12-2-67-1
Z. Mohammed 19-5-44-2
D. Vantull 12-4-35-0
T. Gonsalves 17-2-59-0
G. Singh 2-1-1-0
