Berbice retained their title with a four-wicket win against Demerara in the Castrol final round, inter-county under-15 cricket match at the Police Sports Complex ground yesterday.
The Berbicians romped to 120-4, six minutes before the scheduled tea interval after they were set a target of 117 in two sessions.
Demerara, who began their second innings yesterday morning, were dismissed for 138 just before lunch with left-arm spinner Gudakesh Moti grabbing four wickets for 29 runs.
For good measure, Moti, who ended with match figures of 10-39, also ran out three Demerara batsmen and took a catch.
Off-spinner Joemall La Fleur supported with 2-23.
Berbice had a shaky start losing both Travis Karim and LaFleur to be 21-2.
Karim made nine while La Fleur was dismissed for a duck.
Imran Latif, who made 29, was dropped twice while Romesh Naidoo was yorked by Seon Daniels for seven to leave Berbice on 50-4.
But skipper Harinarine Chattergoon finally displayed his batting prowess scoring an undefeated 53 laced with two fours and three sixes to see his team home. He lost Jamally Odle who was castled by La Rose for a duck and Marvin Basdeo, whom Khan befuddled with a googly which knocked his middle stump to leave the defending champions in a spot of bother at 56-6.
But Chattergoon was still there. He was given a life on 28 when Fernandes at mid-off put down a hard chance off Khan with Berbice still 28 runs away.
Like most good players, Chattergoon made them pay for letting him off. He lofted Khan into the third tier of the Police pavilion and, in the next over, pulled a Ricardo Devers full toss over square-leg for another six.
He then caressed an extra cover drive for four to seal the victory for Berbice. Earlier, Demerara started their second innings soundly with openers Shameer Fazal and Rajiv Singh putting on an opening stand of 27 before Fazal cut the last delivery of Trinson Carmichael’s first over into the hands of Moti at slip and departed for 17.
Demerara were 44-2 when Singh was stumped off Moti for 14 but thereafter, Delon Fernandes and Dayanand Roopnarine put on 55 for the third wicket, the highest partnership of the innings before Fernandes challenged Moti’s throwing arm, lost, and was run out for 37.
Skipper La Rose slapped an easy catch to Travis Karim at backward point after scoring one, while Kevin Singh was clean bowled first ball by Moti. Jagdesh Bishun was also dismissed by Moti when he was run out for four.
Roopnarine and Azad Mohammed held Berbice up by adding 23 before Mohammed was caught by the wicketkeeper off Moti for 14.
Roopnarine enjoyed a slice of luck after he skied a delivery to short mid-on only to see Chattergoon and Moti allow the ball to fall between them. Roopnarine had no intention of enjoying his good fortune however, because he holed out to Naidoo at mid on off Jamally Odle with the next ball he received.
Amir Khan was then run out by Moti and Daniels was bowled by La Fleur for two as the Demerara second innings folded.
At the presentation ceremony which followed, Indranauth Haralsingh, marketing manager of Guyoil, congratulated both teams and said his company was pleased to sponsor the competition. Haralsingh promised that the company would be back as sponsor next year.
Guyana Cricket Board president Chetram Singh congratulated Berbice and wished Demerara better luck next year; he also thanked the sponsor, stressing the importance of sponsorship to the development of the sport.
