Rutherford slams 93

By Zaheer Mohamed (Kaieteur News)
Demerara made light work of Berbice, defeating them by 139 runs to capture the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Inter County U-17 50-overs title Saturday at the Everest Cricket Club. Batting first after the game was reduced to 40 overs due to a soggy outfield caused by overnight and early morning rain, Demerara led by a fine 93 from Sherfene Rutherford, posted a respectable 253-8 off their allotted overs.
Berbice never threatened in reply and were restricted to 114-5 with Brandon Prashad top scoring with 34 (3×4).
Openers Raymond Perez and Ronaldo Renee gave the home team a bright start with an opening stand of 76 with Perez driving Nicholas Seenarine down the ground for two fours in his fourth over, while Renee also took a boundary off the said bowler, as they brought up their team’s 50 from 7.4 overs.
Perez was the first to go caught at extra cover off Suraj Dookna for 38 which contained four fours and came off 41 balls. Renee, who was put down by Sukhwah off Dookna, was finally taken by Randy Wade off Asif Ally at 97 for 2. He departed for 33 (2×4).
Ramnarine Chatura joined the solid looking Rutherford, who replaced Perez and took the score to 130, before he was caught by Matthew Hardyal off Prashad for 15.
Rutherford anchored his team innings; he executed a number of lovely shots of both sides of the pitch and brought up his 50 from 56 balls with five fours and struck Deon Sinclair over long on for his first six in the 32nd over. He continued to bat nicely and was virtually untroubled by the opposition bowlers raising his team’s 200 by smashing Dookna for a maximum over long on. He was eventually caught off Deon Sinclair; his innings included six fours and three sixes.
In an effort to step up the scoring rate the home team lost the wickets of Travis Persaud (04), Ronaldo Ali-Mohammed (04), Malcolm Hubbard (00) and Timothy Mc Almont (00) as Sinclair and Brandon Prashad finished with four wickets for 25 and 49 runs respectively.
In their reply, Ritesh Samaroo (18) and Sukhwah (17) added 33 for the first wicket, before they were both sent back by Looknauth, who also removed Kevin Sinclair (12) to leave Berbice tottering on 66 for 3. Wade (00) was then stupendously caught by Ronaldo Mohamed at first slip off Malcolm Hubbard to leave the score at 67-4.
Prashad however played a captain’s innings, he stroked three fours in his top score of 34 which came off 65 balls, but thoroughly, Hardyal soaked up 58 balls for his unbeaten 11 as the Berbicians hardly showed intent of chasing the total, handing Demerara yet another collection of titles after they won the U-15 and U-19 tournaments earlier in the year; a feat that was not achieve in recent times by any other county. Looknauth was the pick of the bowlers with 3-18. Rutherford was given the man of the match award.
At the presentation ceremony president of the Demerara Cricket Board and Marketing Manager of the GCB Raj Singh congratulated Demerara for winning the title despite the challenges facing the DCB. He added that he is disappointed by the batting display of the Berbicians and urged them to do better.
In an invited comment coach of the Demerara team Garvin Nedd, who led the county to the U-15 and U-19 titles earlier, congratulated his players adding that he knew that the players had the ability to win the tournament. He stated that they stuck to the game plan an executed it well which was the key to their success.
Meanwhile, Junior Chairman of Selectors Nazimul Drepaul announced a 27- man squad which will take part in a two- day trial game at the Georgetown Cricket Club on Tuesday and Wednesday, from which the national team will be selected for the Regional Under-17 tournament.
Players from Berbice and Essequibo, who are shortlisted, are asked to be at the Chetram Singh Centre of Excellence where they will be hosted today and are reminded that the Regional tournament will be played early next month.
The squad reads: Renaldo Renee, Raymond Perez, Adrian Sukhwa, Travis Persaud, Brandon Prashad, Richie Looknauth, Akini Adams, Deon Sinclair, Ershad Alli, Malcolm Hubbard, Kelvin Sewpersaud, Ramnarine Chatura, Timothy McAlmont, Sylus Tyndall, Kevin Martinborough, Ronaldo Ali-Mohammed, Kemo Paul, Ritash Umroa, Nathan Persaud, Shurfane Rutherford, Matthew Hardyal, Malcolm Hubbard, Vivekanand Jagjit, Daniel Samaroo, Joel Seetaram, Ewart Samuels and Samuel McKenzie.