Essequibo batted with patience and intent while the Under-17 Select XI chipped away as Essequibo closed on 267-7 after 87 overs on the first day of the second round of the Guyana Cricket Board/Hand-In-Hand Mutual Fire and Life Insurance, three-day Under-19 Inter-County competition at the Everest Cricket Club ground yesterday.
Essequibo’s top order did well to score freely but while two of the top three batsmen got starts none of them were able to carry on to big scores as they battled the steamy bowling from the Select XI as well as rain intervals for heavy rain.
Essequibo won the toss and elected to bat on a wicket offering little assistance but with just 10 overs bowled the rain intervened and lunch was taken with Essequibo 38-0. Orlando Jailall was unbeaten on 21 and Kevin Christian, not out on 17.
On the resumption of play, Sylvian Williams produced a ripper that found the outside edge of Jailall’s bat and carried to wicketkeeper, Yeudistir Persaud without adding to his total.Christian, though, and Kurt Lovell added a 69-run second-wicket partnership. Lovell, the more aggressive of the two, rode his luck. He was dropped on 33 and faced 69 balls hammering four boundaries before he was caught by the substitute fielder Gevon Schultz at cover for 49 off off spinner Marvan Persaud.
Christian made 45 with five fours before, looking to slice a delivery from Prasad over point was caught by Fawaz Gafoor.
Mark Ramsammy and Shane Wong saw Essequibo to tea on 161-3 but the partnership was broken shortly after when Ramsammy departed for 30 from 69 deliveries bowled by a beauty from Trevon Charles while Wong was trapped by Prasad for 23 after facing 121 balls.
Essequibo’s Joshua Jones hit four fours and a six to close unbeaten on 27 and his partner, Joel Fortune on five. Prasad was the key bowler with 3-74 from 21 overs while Williams picked up two with Charles and Singh one wicket each. The match resumes at 10:00h today.
