Essequibo and Demerara are in the driver’s seat against Berbice and the Select U-17s respectively at the end of day two of the GCB/HIH Under-19 3-Day Inter-County 2016.
Keemo Paul top-scored with 85 runs for Essequibo
Resuming on 71/2 at the Enterprise Busta Sports Club ground, Essequibo on the back of U-19 World Champion, Keemo Paul, posted 246 all out. They slipped from 162/4 at lunch to 204/9 before the last pair of Siddiq Mohamed and Devon Thomas gave them some semblance of resurgence with a partnership of 42. Devon Thomas was bowled by Nicholas Seenarine for 25 and Siddiq Mohamed was left not out on 21. Keemo Paul top-scored with a brilliant 85. Berbice restoration was due mainly to off-spinner Asif Ally who took four quick wickets.
Berbice commenced their first innings shortly before lunch and lost Trevone Ceasar bowled by Keemo Paul in the last over to lunch. On resumption of play after lunch, Keemo Paul sent back Adrian Sukwuh caught behind for four to leave Berbice ruinously placed at 4/2. Then Joshua Harrichand and Mathew Hardial made a third wicket partnership of 45 before Harrichand was caught by wicket keeper Nathan Persaud for 14 off left arm spinner Akeel Adams, to leave Berbice on 49/3. Adams then bowled Joel Seetaram for a first ball duck with the score on 49/4 before sending back Brandon Persaud caught behind for 12, with the score on 57/5, to further give Essequibo the leading edge, as the day’s game slowly slipped into fading light. Play ended at 17:30 with Berbice on 71/5 with Ritesh Omroa on two and Mathew Adams on 33.
Renaldo Renee led the way for Demerara with 67 runs
Over at the Wales Community Centre ground, the Select U-17s are 42 runs away from making Demerara bat again. Resuming the day on 25-1 with Renaldo Renee on 23 and Sherfane Rutherford on one in reply to the U-17s’ 90, Demerara posted 190 all out. Rutherford was caught at cover for eight with the score on 37. Renee was then joined by skipper Travis Persaud and the two put on 52 before Persaud was run out for 12 wondering out of his crease after an lbw shout. Demerara then loss two further wickets with the score on 89, one of them being top-scorer Renee for an attractive 67 decorated with 11 sweetly time boundaries on a pitch not very conducive to stroke play. It was up to Renaldo Mohamed with 23 and Ramnarine Chatura who made a composed 40 not out to get their team pass the U-17s 90 to have a lead. Among the wickets were Ashmead Nedd (3/51) and Bhaskar Yadram (2/6).
Chasing a lead of 100 in their second innings, the U-17s openers Bashkar Yadram and Javed Karim started positively putting on 44 for the first wicket before Karim (15) and Yadram (16) were both dismissed in quick succession. They then lost Joshua Persaud for no score a few overs before the close of play. They closed the day on 58-3 with Anthony Antonio on 11 and vice-captain Kevin Sinclair on six.
Play continues from 09:30 hrs tomorrow, the third and final day at both venues.
(Sean Devers photo)