The Guyana Telephone and Telegraph Berbice cricket team were in a strong position to force an outright win against the President’s XI on the second day of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) senior inter-county tournament at the Demerara Cricket Club ground yesterday.
They amassed 424- eight wickets declared replying to the President’s Xi’s first innings score of 182 all out and grabbed six second innings wickets as the President’s XI, following on, ended on 135-6 still needed 107 more runs to make the Berbicians bat a second time.
GT&T Berbice resumed on 3 for 267 and added a further 157 runs thanks to 68 (87 balls, 9X4, 2X6) from Delbert Hicks, 26 not out (68 balls) from Jason Sinclair and 20 (23 balls) from Clinton Pestano.
Opener Sewnarine Chattergoon had scored a century on the opening day.
Seon Daniels picked up 3-82 while Collis Butts had 2 for 60 and Gilford Moore, Raj Nanan and Anthony Bramble claimed one wicket each.
The President’s XI, requiring to score at least 242 runs to make Berbice bat a second time lost opener Krishna Arjune lbw to Pestano with the score on two in the fourth over but Jeetendra Sookdeo and Tagenarine Chanderpaul saw their team through to tea without further loss.
On the resumption Chanderpaul’s stumps were rattled by the off spin of Eon Hooper in the first over after the break for just eight without any addition to the score and 17 runs later Sookdeo gifted a return catch to Gudakesh Motie-Kanhai for 17 before Kevon Boodie and Anthony Bramble engaged in a brief recovery.
The pair took the score to 67 before Keon Joseph accounted for Boodie, who contributed just three runs to the partnership. Devon Clements lasted just 15 balls before Motie-Kanhai had him lbw for 5 but Eugene La Fleur and Bramble put on an even 50 runs for the sixth wicket to take the President’s XI to 6 for 135 from 44 overs at close of play. La Fleur was dismissed off the final delivery of the day, sending a return catch to the part time bowling of Sewnarine Chattergoon for 13. La Fleur’s partner Bramble remained not out 78, from 102 balls with 14 fours. Motie has so far taken 2 for 35.
