Berbice defeated Demerara by 32 runs at the Everest Cricket Club yesterday as the second round of the Hand-In-Hand Under-19 Inter-County 50-overs tournament concluded.
With the contest reduced to 49 overs, a late push from the Berbice lower order bats men ensured they reached 185 in 47.4 overs while their bowlers contained Demerara to 153-8 from their full quota.
Before the rain came with Berbice 72-3, the defending champions were in a spot of bother early on as Qumar Torrington trapped Alex Algoo leg before wicket for two.
However, a 59-run second wicket stand between Junior Sinclair and Kevlon Anderson steered Berbice through that difficult patch.
Anderson looked compact in his 43-ball 28 as he gracefully stroked four boundaries through the covers but had his stumps shaken by Sachin Singh while Deonauth Persaud was caught softly at cover by Singh to reduce Berbice to 64-3.
Sinclair was poised for another half century, scoring 58 in the first round but fell short as he was bowled by left arm spinner, Ashmead Nedd.
Seon Glasgow and Leon Swamy provided important cameos of 31 and 29 runs respectively while Garfield Benjamin chipped in with 17 to see Berbice scoring 50 runs from the last 10 overs.
Torrington ended with 2-39 while Alphius Bookie and Nedd returned two wickets each for 36 and 13 runs respectively.
In the chase, Berbice were slippery in the field, dropping Singh on one but he did not make use of his chances as his horrid run in the tournament continued with him departing for three after edging to the wicket-keeper.
Bookie was also dropped on 13 but pushed on for a painstaking knock of 30 from 96 balls until he was bowled by Swamy.
Bookie forged a 54-run resistance with Adrian Hinds (31) but with the top order blown away, Demerara struggled to carry on even though Nedd (19), Andrew Samaroo (18) and Pradesh Balkishun (14 not out) provided important cameos.
Anderson returned 3-38 to be adjudged Man-of-the Match while Swamy and Nigel Deodat had two wickets each.r
