After being precariously poised at 50-4, Essequibo’s exit from the El Dorado 50-over Inter-County tourney was as embarrassing as being bowled out for a mere 74 at the Wakenaam Community Centre ground yesterday.
Essequibo, for the second successive year, failed to win a game as national under-19 leg spinner Amir Khan ripped through the batsmen from the Cinderella County. He had miserly figures of 7.2-3-10-5, spinning webs around the clueless batsmen.
Norman Fredericks, who laboured for 41 deliveries in his top score of 18, and Navin Bahadur (15) were the only batsmen to reach double figures. There were 11 extras while Ryan Fredericks chipped in with nine.
Khan received support from his spin cohort Zaheer Mohammed and medium pacer Christopher Barnwell who grabbed 2-9 and 2-15 respectively. In reply Demerara sped to 80-3 from 11 overs with Leon Johnson and Derwin Christian being the not out batsmen on 10 runs apiece. Opener Barnwell and Steven Jacobs were the other principal scorers with 31 and 11 respectively. Pacer Rensford Beaton, Anthony Adams and R. Moore picked up one wicket apiece.
The unbeaten Demerara team will now meet defending champions Berbice on Saturday in a day/night fixture at the Guyana National Stadium.
Scoreboard
Essequibo innings
N. Fredericks b Barnwell 18
R. Fredericks c Jacobs b Stoll 09
N. Bahadur c Chanderpaul b Khan 15
D. Heyliger c Chanderpaul b Barnwell 02
R. Adams c Jacobs b Khan 04
B. Shivamber b Khan 06
F. Karim c Dowlin b Mohammed 00
T. Benn lbw Khan 04
A. Adams c Barnwell b Mohammed 05
R. Moore not out 00
R. Beaton c Stoll b Khan 00
Extras: (b-4, lb-1, w-6) 11
Total: for 10 wickets off 30.2 overs 74
Fall of wickets: 1-22, 2-39, 3-49, 4-49, 5-61, 6-61, 7-61, 8-74, 9-74, 10-74
Bowling: Stoll 5-1-5-1, Carmichael 6-1-23-0, Jacobs 3-1-5-0, Barnwell 5-1-15-2, Mohammed 4-1-9-2, Khan 7.2-3-10-5
Demerara innings
C. Barnwell c Moore b Beaton 31
S. Chanderpaul c&b A. Adams 08
S. Jacobs c N. Fredericks b Moore 11
L. Johnson not out 10
D. Christian not out 10
Extras: (lb-1, w-8, nb-1) 10
Total: (for 3 wickets off 11 overs) 80
Fall of wickets: 1-41, 2-54, 3-69
Bowling: Benn 3-0-26-0, Beaton 4—28-1, Moore 3-0-21-1, A. Adams 1-0-4-1
