Despite the heavy rains Berbice roared to their second consecutive Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Dave West Indian Imports Inter-County Under-15 title, defeating Demerara by 36 runs at the Georgetown Cricket Club (GCC) Ground yesterday.
Rainfall had prevented the final from being played some two weeks and the rains again poured overnight and into the day causing players and spectators to be worried if any play would be able to commence on the day. But good work from the groundsmen allowed a 14:00h start, just enough time to see a 25 overs-a-side side encounter for the final match of the competition.
Winning the toss, Demerara elected to field and immediately saw success with the wicket of Mavindra Gopilall (15) and the run out of Timonnai Caesar (4). Berbice would stumble further after losing Zainul Ramsammy, stumped for 15. Jonathan Rampersaud held his ground for a top score of 19 while Antoine Alexander supported with 14 to see Berbice reach 89 from their allotted overs.
Saffie Khan spearheaded the bowling with returns of 4-14 while Chanderpaul Ramraj took 3-15 from the other end but it was tight bowling from Zakary Jodah that fraustrated the batsmen. He bowled five overs for just five runs including three maidens and picked up the key wicket of Alexander.
In their run chase, Demerara would have felt the full extent of the superb bowling Berbice had produced from the opening of the tournament as they were rocked back with the loss of openers Shamar Yearwood and Mavindra Dindyal both without scoring and the departure of inform Romel Datterdeen for just two as they slummed to 3-13. When Ramraj was run out for nine, the collapse started and Nicholas Rajpat fell for 8, one run later.
Jodah tried valiantly to stabilize the middle order but wickets kept tumbling as Budram Lakeram had a double strike in one over while Khan had Jodah removed, the ball rolling onto his stumps and dislodging the bails. Alex Ali was run out to end the resistance while Vishal Persaud saw his off stump unearthed to end their hopes of winning the title, all out for just 53. Lakeram was consistent with 2-5 while Rampersaud returned to bag 2-15 and Isiah Thorne copped 3-18.
Rampersaud was adjudged Player-of-the-Match and Most Valuable Player of the tournament, having taken 15 wickets overall while Ramsammy was the leading run-scorer with 63 runs.
