Keemo Paul all-round brilliance saw Essequibo registering a massive victory over Berbice while Demerara mauled the Select U-17s in the first round of the GCB/HIH Under-19 3-Day Inter-County Competition 2016.
Man-of-the-match Keemo Paul receiving his trophy from Hand-in-Hand representative
Under-19 World Champion, Keemo Paul, followed up his excellent 85 with a 4-wicket haul as Berbice crumbled to an innings and 60 runs defeat; a huge upset for the boys from the East.
When play resumed today at the Enterprise Busta Sports Club, Berbice needed another 83 runs to make Essequibo bat again, however, from the onset of play Essequibo seemed set on pressing home the advantage, as they upped the ante by having Mathew Adams caught bat pad by Sachin Persaud off the bowling of Looknauth Chinkoo without adding to his overnight score of 33. Saenarine Sookoo was the seventh wicket to go, bowled by Keemo Paul with the score on 78. Ritesh Omroa then followed also caught at pad bat by Sachin Persaud bowled by Looknauth Chinkoo for 4 with the score still on 78. Chinkoo then went on to get Nicholas Seenarine caught Jonathan Fernandes for 6, with the score on 84/9. Sylus Tyndell was thereafter bowled by Keemo Paul for 2, to wrap up the Berbice first innings on 93, 4 runs short of avoiding the follow on. Asif Ally was not out on 2. The destroyers with the ball were Keemo Paul who took 4/13, Akeel Adams with 3/14 and Looknauth Chinkoo with 3/39.
Essequibo in enforcing the follow-on were greeted with openers Ritesh Omroa and Adrian Sukwah, and soon benefitted from the run out of Omroa for 11, with the score on 23. Sukwah then followed with score on 32, caught by Keemo Paul off the bowling of Reaz Khan for 6. Mathew Hardial was then adjudged lbw to Looknauth Chinkoo for 3. Brandon Persaud was then caught by Dwayne Thomas off the bowling of Chinkoo for a duck. Joshan Harrichand took to the crease but didn’t offer much resistance and was soon dismissed caught and bowl by Chinkoo, to have Berbice reeling at 47/5 at lunch.
After lunch Berbice never looked up to the task for a heroic recovery and were quickly bundled out for 93 in their second innings. Keemo Paul was named man-of-the-match for his super all-round performance.
Over at the Wales Community Centre ground, defending champions, Demerara, mauled the Under-17s by 7 wickets. The Under-17s resumed on 58/3 with Antonio Anthony on 11 and Kevin Sinclair on 6. They took the score to 82 before both were dismissed on the same score for 13 and 26 respectively. Leg spinner Ershad Ali removed Anthony caught behind while Sinclair was lbw to Shabodan for 26. Alphius Bookie followed soon after being bowled by leg spinner Ershad Ali making it 90/6.
Man-of-the-match Renaldo Renee receiving his trophy from Hand-in-Hand representative
Sagar Hatharamani then joined Kurt Lovell and the two batsmen batted sensibly and showed great application during their partnership of 69 as they took the score to 159/6 at lunch.
After lunch, Lovell was out lbw first ball for 22 ending a promising seven wicket stand. The other three wickets fell quickly as Under-17s lost their last 4 wickets for 1 run leaving Demerara to make 61 for an outright victory.
Openers Renaldo Renee and Raymond Perez started positively stroking boundaries off the opening seamers before Ashmead Nedd removed first innings top-scorer Renee lbw with the score on 20. After which, Perez fell lbw to Kelvin Umroa at 25/2 before Sherfane Rutherford fell caught on the boundary off Nedd just two balls after he was dropped on the boundary off Umroa, leaving Demerara wobbling at 26/3. However, Kelvin Shewpersaud and Malcolm Hubbard saw their team to victory without any further loss. Renaldo Renee was named man of the match for his first innings 67.
The second round is slated to go down from the 17th April to 19th April 2016. Berbice will take on Demerara at Everest while the select Under-17s will go up against Essequibo at DCC.
(Sean Devers photo)