Berbice crushes Demerara by six wickets

GTM Under-19

Led by Jonathan Foo’s belligerent innings, defending champions Berbice were able to humble their nemesis Demerara by six wickets in their final preliminary round match of this year’s Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/GTM sponsored Under-19 Inter-county limited overs tournament.

Berbice skipper Anthony Bramble (right) receives the winner’s trophy from Edward Persico Company Secretary/Human Resources Manager of GTM.
Berbice skipper Anthony Bramble (right) receives the winner’s trophy from Edward Persico Company Secretary/Human Resources Manager of GTM.

Playing at the Demerara Cricket Club (DCC) ground, Berbice won the toss and inserted their opponents to take first strike on a good batting wicket, bowling them out for 121 off 33.1 overs. Andre Stoll scored 44. Berbice replied with 122-4 from 31 overs, thanks to Foo’s 56.

When Demerara batted, they found the bowling of the Ancient County team which was led by national Under-19 fast bowler Keon Joseph who took 2-25, too hot to handle and were shakily placed on 60-6 in the 21st over of their innings.

But Stoll who struck four sixes, with three coming off the bowling of Sahadeo Somai and two fours, found a useful partner in Carl Rambharose (11) and together they repaired the damage with a 46-run partnership scored from 42 balls, before Stoll was caught at the wicket by national Under-19 wicketkeeper Anthony Bramble off the bowling of Terrence Madramootoo (2-15).

Even though Alex Amsterdam was struck for a six over midwicket by Seon Daniels (11), he still managed to end with 2-10 and at the luncheon break, the defending champions were 21-2, with Stoll returning with the ball to pick up both wickets to fall, ending with 2-18 overall.

Foo was in a no nonsense mood after replacing Rafael Estriado who was adjudged lbw to Daniels (2-32) off the second delivery after the break, by hitting Rambharose exquisitely through extra cover for four.

He was dropped by wicketkeeper Dexter Solomon when on 13 off the bowling of Rambharose, with Berbice 46-3 in the 20th over and made the Demerara team pay for the blunder,  by hitting skipper Rajendra Nikbarran’s first delivery over long off for a maximum and after hitting the next two deliveries for boundaries through mid wicket and extra cover respectively, the last delivery of the over, which cost Demerara 22 runs, was dispatched with disdain over the head of the bowler for another maximum.

He reached his 50 from 57 deliveries, hitting six fours and three sixes with an edge off Daniels and past Solomon en route to the long leg boundary, before he was taken on the long on boundary by Totaram Bishun who was earlier dispatched through extra cover and over long on for four and six respectively, by Foo, two balls later.

But at his demise, Berbice were 91-4 in the 23rd over and Seon Hetmyer who was unbeaten on 17 (1×4) and Amsterdam who struck two fours in his unbeaten 14, saw their team to victory without any further trouble.

At the presentation ceremony which followed, Eon Hooper was named Best Batsman whilst Nikbarran took home the best bowler and the man of the series awards.

In their earlier encounter against Essequibo on Friday, Berbice defeated the Cinderella County by three wickets with five balls to spare in a game reduced to 40 overs a-side.

Essequibo batted first and were held to 158-6 from their 40 overs, with Herrell Greene top scoring with 47 decorated with three fours and one six, whilst Ravindra Parsram and Navin Singh offered support with 29 and 26 respectively.

Foo and Joseph took two wickets each for Berbice, who scored 159-7 in reply from 39.1 overs thanks to Hooper’s 71 (2×4) and Amsterdam 25. Bramble offered support with 17 decorated with two fours against the bowling of Uvendra Balgobin who took 2-24 for Essequibo.