A quick-fire innings of 69 from Imran Latif and a five-wicket haul from Trinson Carmichael, propelled Berbice to a 69-run victory over Essequibo in the Castrol inter-county under-15, two-day cricket competition which ended yesterday at the Police Sports Complex ground.
Essequibo, resuming from their overnight score of 32-4, were dismissed for 130 conceding a first innings lead of only five runs.
Rove Harris and Rovindra Mohabir put on 40 for the fifth wicket before Harris was brilliantly run out for 27 which included three fours and one towering six into the top deck of the Police Sports Complex pavilion.
Off-spinner Joemall LaFleur then spun a delivery past the outside edge of Richard Seecharran’s bat to knock back his off stump before he could trouble the scorers, while Neal Ramalho struck some lusty blows which brought a glimmer of hope that the team could secure first innings points. But Gudakesh Moti gra-bbed the three remaining wickets as Ess-equibo folded for 130, agonizingly short of Berbice’s 135.
Lafleur added one wicket to his overnight tally of three to finish with 4-36 from 21 overs, while Moti pic-ked up 3-30 from 20.4 overs.
Berbice in their second innings lost skipper Harrinarine Chattergoon leg-before wicket to Ramalho for 14, going to lunch at 28-1.
After the interval, LaFleur was bowled by a Ramalho delivery that kept low. Travis Karim was joined by Latif and the pair put on 79 for the third wicket before Latif was caught by Kerron Mc Lennon off the bowling of Melvin Sepersaud for 32 (1×4 1×6).
Karim played an innings of controlled aggression and was left not out after stroking eight delightful fours in his accomplished 58-ball 69, as Berbice made a sporting declaration at 130-3 setting Essequibo a target of 136 for victory in the 41 overs remaining in the match.
Herel Green started in aggressive fashion taking two fours off opening bowler Keon Joseph but chopped an in-swinger from the same bowler and departed for nine. Berbice used Carmichael to open the bowling from the other end applying pressure to the inexperienced Essequibo side. He was simply spectacular picking up 5-13 from 13 overs while Moti provided excellent support grabbing 2-17 from eight overs. La Fleur took the last wicket at the cost of one run from four deliveries as Essequibo crumbled for 66 in their second innings.
The win by Berbice sets up the grand finale with Demerara who also secured an outright victory over Essequibo. This contest which is scheduled for tomorrow will be officiated by Wazir Dhanraj and Gowkarran Dindial with Sreechand Jagnauth as the stand-by umpire (RP)
