Brian Sattaur’s unbeaten century, backed up by a five-wicket haul from fast bowler Cordel Mars, piloted Demerara to an 85-run win over Berbice which gave them the lien on the (GCB)/GTM Under-19 50 overs-a-side title. In a match at the Everest Cricket Club ground reduced to 42 overs per side due to overnight showers, Demerara batting first, rattled up a total of 203 for 6 in 42 overs thanks to Sattaur’s knock of 103 not out which included four boundaries and eight massive sixes.
Opening the batting for Demerara were the pair of Sattaur and Tagenarine Chanderpaul. They began their innings cautiously and Sattaur, after being dropped off the fourth ball of the first over, along with Chanderpaul played defensively, crawling to 26 in 12 overs.
Some tight bowling by the Berbicians managed to keep the opening pair quiet for 15 overs. With the left-handed Chanderpaul on 15 and Sattaur beginning to flourish with 35, the two brought up their 50-run partnership in the 18th over.
Immediately after reaching the team 50, Sattaur smashed back to back sixes in the next over, but then lost Chanderpaul for a watchful 20 which came from 60 balls and included three fours. Wicketkeeper Kemol Savory was promoted to number three but his stay was short-lived as he was caught for 2 by his opposite, keeper Ashkay Homraj off the slow bowling of Berbice skipper Shawn Pereira.
Sattaur continued his innings playing his shots and rotating the strike with his skipper Kamesh Yadram who joined him upon Savory’s departure.
The two began to torment the opposition bowlers, milking runs and boundaries at will. Sattaur at one point faced nine balls and smashed five of them for sixes, taking Pereira for 20 in a single over inclusive of three maximums. Demerara’s hundred came up in the 26th over as Yadram and Sattaur chalked up their 39-ball half century partnership. The 150 came in the 35th over with a slogged six from Yadram who was eventually dismissed for a solid 25 of the bowling of David Latchaya.
New batsman Bernard Bailey was dismissed for a duck as Demerara began to lose wickets in quick succession. Taking his score into the 90’s, Sattaur became a victim of wickets falling around him as he lost another in Dexter George who played a 16-ball cameo which included two maximums. George popped a return catch to all rounder Romario Shepherd-De Jonge.
After being given another life on 99, Sattaur brought up his century but then lost partner, Steven Sankar for 7. With his team’s 200 coming up in the 41st over, Demerara ended their innings quietly as they reached 203 with Sattaur and Devon Lord at the crease not out.
Shepherd’s 2 for 31, along with Pereira’s 2 for 32 and Latchaya’s 2 for 38 helped restrict Demerara to a modest total.
Needing 204 for a win from 42 overs, the defending champions lost their way terribly as they slumped to 36 for 6 inside 20 overs.
Opening the batting were the pair of keeper Homraj and Leon Andrews, who looked solid in their approach but eventually lost their wickets. Hostile pace bowling from the tall right-handed Mars caused trouble for the Berbician batsmen who had no answers for his questions.
First to go was Homraj who never looked settled as he offered a regulation catch to keeper Savory off Mars’ bowling.
In at number three was Sharaz Ramcharran whose stay was short-lived as he departed for nought giving Savory another catch behind the stumps. Andrews who struck three fours in his 13-ball 19, had all but one of his stumps uprooted by Mars soon after and with the score at 22 for 3, Berbice seemed to be heading for disaster.
Parmanand Narine and his skipper Pereira steadied their ship with gritty knocks after losing Latchaya for four, Deryck Narine for duck and Shepherd- DeJonge for a golden duck. Two of these wickets fell to Mars and one to Dexter George. The champs were then left reeling at 36 for 6.
Narine battled the elements as he scraped 15 from 45 balls, managing one four and two sixes, while Pereira scratched his way to double figures before he was stumped by Savory off the bowling of Lord for 13.
At 70 for 7, Narine and new batsman Shailendra Shameer gave their team a glimmer of hope by rotating the strike and hitting boundaries at intervals.
After losing Narine for 15, Shameer went a few overs after as he fell victim to opposition skipper Yadram who had him caught by Shivram Persaud for a well-played 26.
With the score 102 for 9, Kevon Jawahir was the last man standing as he hit three boundaries in his score of 15. Suresh Dhanai was the last wicket to fall as Berbice were routed for 119 in 29.1 overs.
Mars’ hostility rewarded him with 5 wickets, but he was a bit expensive going for 39 in 6.1 overs. George finished with 2 for 18, while Lord,
Steven Sankar and Yadram grabbed one wicket apiece.
Sattaur’s century earned him the player of the match for the final.
At the post-match presentation, members of the GCB including President Dru Bahadur, Secretary Anand Sanasie, Executive members Alfred Mentore and Faizal Bacchus, Match Referee Colin Stuart, Junior selector Nazimul Drepaul and GTM’s Fire Manager Ramona Singh, were all part of the final presentation.
Stabroek Sport caught up with winning Coach Quason Nedd who was overjoyed by his team’s win, saying “It’s a great feeling to be around such good youngsters who went into the finals in high spirits and showed a good team effort”.
He also noted that after the loss the team suffered to Berbice at Albion, it was nice to rebound with a win.
The GCB will now select a National Under-19 squad.
