Berbice ended day one of the final round of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/Hand-in-Hand U19 Inter-County three-day tournament on 19 -1, some 171 runs behind Demerara’s first innings total of 190 at the Everest Cricket Club ground, yesterday.
Demerara had earlier in the day won the toss and elected to bat. The defending champions ended the first session on 74 -1 after left-arm spinner Keith Simpson bowled the inform Raymond Perez in the 12th over for 17 to leave the score on 43 – 1.
Skipper Bhaskar Yadram and fellow West Indies under – 19 selectee, Joshua Persaud them mixed aggression with smart running between the wickets to carry their side to lunch without further loss.
Yadram who looked set for a big score was well set on 38 which included two fours and the same number of sixes while Persaud ended the first session on 17 in an unbroken 38-run partnership.
The second session, however, started torridly for Demerara as both Yadram (39) and Persaud (17) were dismissed two balls apart by Simpson during the second over after the break to leave Demerara on 73 – 3 in the 36th over.
Berbice was soon celebrating again when Simson removed Ronaldo Ali – Mohamed to grab his fourth wicket of the innings while Berbice Skipper Kevin Sinclair had Gavin Boowah (12) caught at short mid – wicket to leave Demerara in a spot of bother with the score on 99 – 5.
Demerara, however, were rescued by a 74-run, seventh-wicket partnership between Ramnarine Chetura and Richie Looknaught who dug their side out of a hole while taking their side to tea with the score on 161 – 5.
Chetura, who looked calm at the crease, got his innings going by lifting a delivery from Simpson over mid-wicket for six while elegantly stroking pacer Sylus Tyndall down the ground for four.
Another six came off his bat when he pushed an Ezekiel Kempadoo delivery over long on for his second maximum. Looknaught, during that time, relied on his defence while picking up the singles during Demerara’s much-needed partnership. Chetura ended the session on 41 while Looknaught scored 20. Simpson, on the other hand, had 4 – 60 from 23 overs at the break.
Chetura, began the final session positively by smashing a Simpson delivery for six and flicking ball from Tyndall for four to reach 50 while his partner Looknaught (21), gave Simpson a stiff return catch to end the partnership, handing the spinner his fifth wicket of the innings. His patient knock lasted 91 balls and he lasted for 96 minutes at the crease.
His demise left the score on 173 – 6 in the 80th over. Chetura, however, was soon dismissed for 53 from 98 deliveries to give Sinclair his second wicket of the innings which signalled a collapse as Demerara were eventually dismissed for 190 in 90.3 overs.
Sinclair cleaned up the lower order to finish with 5 – 32 from 28.3 overs while Simpson, who had several chances floored off his bowling, grabbed 5 – 78 from 31 overs.
Berbice in response, ended day one on 19 for 1 after 13 overs. Skipper Sinclair and Adrian Sukwah were the not-out batsmen on 12 and 1 respectively. Vermamootoo Senwasane (3) was the man dismissed by Yadram.
Meanwhile, the GCB Select U17 XI ended day one of their encounter against Essequibo on 167 – 6 from 107 overs at the Police Sports Club ground Eve Leary.
Kevlon Anderson stroked 101 not – out from 287 balls which included 13 fours to steer his side to the close. Mahendra Persaud has so far taken 2 – 21 from 24 overs for Essequibo.
