GCB U-19 Inter-County Super50
Just as promised by skipper Mavindra Dindyal, Demerara brought home the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) U-19 Inter-County 50-over trophy yesterday with a 7-wicket dismantling of the defending champions Berbice as Jonathan Van Lange produced a spell of seam bowling for the ages en route to snaring 7-25.
Played at the Malteenoes Sports Club ground, the gathering of spectators was treated to a memorable spell of fast bowling from Van Lange as Demerara triumphed over their eternal arch-rivals for the second time in three days.
Van Lange’s effort with the ball saw a collapse of epic proportions as his searching line and length outside the off-stump drew the Berbice batsmen into false shots and ran through the middle order to wrap up the innings for 90 off just 19 overs after Dindyal had won the toss and sent them in to bat.
The Ramnauth brothers, Rampertab and Rampersaud, had gotten Berbice off to a decent start, putting on 41 in five overs, albeit with help from the Demerara bowlers, who gave away 32 extras in the innings overall.
At the beginning of the fifth over, the left-handed Rampertab, the Berbice skipper who had been dropped in the previous over, looked as though he would make Demerara pay for their mistake with a vicious pull for four off Anthon Lim. However, the seamer came back at him with a hard length, and Rampertab went for another pull but could only slice the ball high into the air for short mid-wicket, allowing Krsna Singh to take a diving catch.
Rampertab’s dismissal for six was the breakthrough that Demerara needed. The younger Ramnauth, Rampersaud, would put on 24 runs with Afraz Budhoo for the second wicket, but when it seemed as though the Berbice duo began to settle in nicely, Van Lange drew Rampersaud (19) forward and induced an edge behind, which wicketkeeper Alvin Mohabir graciously accepted.
That dismissal sparked the beginning of the end; from 65/2 in the ninth over, Berbice suddenly slumped to 72/5. Van Lange accounted for Kevin Kestin (5), giving Mohabir a second catch to make it 72/3.
Berbice then proceeded to lose another two without any further addition to their total as Krsna got in on the act, having Budhoo (15) caught before Van Lange added his third. Rashad Gaffaur caught behind for a two-ball duck to leave Berbice on 72/5 in the 13th over.
The Berbicians were then given a brief respite as Sanjay Algoo managed to carve out a boundary during his short stay at the crease. Damion Cecil (1), though, could not resist going for a big swipe at Van Lange and skipping one that was snapped up by Zachary Jodah. Algoo (6) was also dismissed similarly, this time Van Lange taking the catch off his own bowling as Berbice further slid to 85/7.
In the 17th over, Van Lange delivered a double strike in consecutive deliveries. First, he had Salim Khan edging behind to give Mohabir his fourth catch of the match, and then he trapped Ayhinder Roger Leg before wicket (LBW) for a first-ball duck. At 88/9, Berbice were only able to add two more to their total before Neeran Bani delivered the knock-out blow, having Kumar Deopersaud caught behind for a duck.
While Van Lange finished with 7/25 (6 overs), Lim (1-19, 4 overs), Krsna Singh (1-9, 5 overs), and Bani (1-1, 1 over) all chipped in.
Needing just 91 for victory, the Demerara side took their time as the Berbicians unleashed their spinners in hopes of skittling the eventual winners out.
Openers Sachin Balgobin (11 from 52 balls) and Romeo Deonarine (22 from 62 balls) carried Demerara to a painstaking 28 in 15 overs before the former was caught behind off the bowling of Matthew Pottaya. The hero with the ball, Van Lange, then joined Deonarine, and together they moved on to 40 before Deonarine was stumped off the bowling of Deopersaud. Van Lange (9) followed shortly after, bowled by Budhoo, to leave Demerara at 48/3, but their trusty middle-order pair of Dindyal and Mohabir guided them home safely.
Dindyal continued to show his class with an unbeaten 31 from 39 deliveries, which saw him spanking a pair of fours and a pair of sixes, while Mohabir anchored the other end, finishing not out on 11 (4sx2).
Leading the way for the Berbice bowlers with a valiant effort was Deopersaud, who had figures of 1-11 (10 overs), while Pottaya (1-25, 9 overs) and Budhoo (1-32, 7 overs) were the other bowlers to take wickets.
For his performance with the ball, Van Lange was adjudged Man-of-the-Match. The selection panel will now have the task of selecting the Guyana National U-19 squad to represent the country at the upcoming Cricket West Indies (CWI) Rising Stars U-19 50-over competition.
(Michelangelo Jacobus)
