A determined batting display from national middle-order batsman Travis Dowlin led Demerara to a two-wicket victory over Berbice in the final of the Guyana Cricket Board/El Dorado-sponsored limited-overs Inter-County championship at the National Stadium Providence ground yesterday.
Scores: Berbice 236 all out (50 overs) Demerara 237-8 (49.3 overs)
Dowlin, who fell six runs short of a century, added 90 for the third wicket with skipper Ramnaresh Sarwan (64) .
He batted through the latter part of his innings nursing a leg injury.
He also shared partnerships of 60 for the fifth wicket with Leon Johnson, who made 21 from 31 balls and a further 37 for the sixth wicket with Dion Ferrier before he was caught by Andre Percival on the long on boundary for his 94 which was decorated with three fours and a similar amount of sixes.
Earlier, Demerara were in a spot of bother at 25-3, with openers Chris Barnwell and Lennox Cush and Steven Jacobs all back in the pavilion.
Barnwell was run out by Esaun Crandon as he failed to beat the return from short fine leg after being sent back by Cush.
Cush, who was finding it difficult to get the ball away from the pace/spin attack of the Crandon siblings, eventually went via the lbw route with out scoring after facing 17 balls as he played all around a straight ball from Royston Crandon.
Jacobs arrived at the crease ahead of Dowlin but did not stick around long enough, as he too went lbw to Esaun Crandon who bowled impressively in his first seven overs which cost 14 runs.
Then came the Sarwan/Dowlin partnership. The two set about rebuilding the innings batting sensibly, and posted the team’s 50 in 15.5 overs.
Sarwan, whose half century came up with a flick off his legs down to fine leg, faced 73 balls and struck four boundaries.
He eventually was run out by Verasammy Permaul and Berbice sensed victory.
But Johnson joined Dowlin and they took the fight to Berbice with every run scored being cheered by the crowd which grew as the minutes went by.
Things looked bleak for Demerara when Johnson was caught and bowled by Imran Jafferally at 175-6 in the 42nd over.
But Dion Ferrier joined Dowlin (who had Barnwell as a runner) and they posted 37 for the sixth wicket before Ferrier was adjudged lbw to Deonarine at 212-6 which soon became 213-7 with the fall of Dowlin’s wicket three balls later.
Demerara required 21 runs from 12 balls with Esaun Crandon bowling the penultimate over of the innings which saw wicket-keeper Derwin Christian blasting some 18 runs.
Christian was run out (direct hit from Andre Percival at backward point) off the first ball of the final over with three needed for victory but Zaheer Mohammed ensured there were no more worries for the defending champions, as he took just two deliveries to get the three runs needed as Demerara ended on 237-8 off 49.3 overs.
Bowling for Berbice, Esaun Crandon 2-42 was the most successful bowler, whilst there was a wicket each for Royston Crandon, Jafferally and Deonarine.
Mahendra Nagamootoo injured his hamstring whilst batting and and bowled five overs which cost 19 runs.
Ex West Indies fast bowler Reon King and Barnwell had earlier vindicated Sarwan’s decision to field first on a pitch that was offering great assistance to the fast bowlers when they reduced Berbice to 10-2 after three overs.
King got one to leave Sewnarine Chattergoon after he had been driven to the boundary the previous delivery, with Sarwan pouching the catch at second slip.
Berbice sent in Esaun Crandon as a pinch hitter, but this backfired as he only succeeded in picking out Mohammed at a wide mid on after facing nine balls for his single.
Assad Fudadin continued his fine form during this competition, stroking his way to a run-a-ball 50 which was decorated with eight fours.
He posted 39 for the third wicket with Royston Crandon before Crandon was caught by Christian driving loosely outside the off stump off King after making 12 from 24 balls.
Fudadin and Deonarine added 87 for the fourth wicket, before Fudadin was out lbw to Cush for his 67 made off 75 balls with nine fours.
Deonarine and Homchand Pooran added 27 for the fifth wicket before Deonarine was stumped by Christian off Mohammed for 44 made off 86 balls with two fours and one six.
Cush and King ended with two wickets each for 39 and 46 runs respectively from their ten overs whilst there was a wicket each for Barnwell, Mc Garrell and Mohammed.
At the presentation ceremony which followed president of the GCB, Chetram Singh, congratulated both teams for the good sportsmanship they displayed despite the rivalry, and at the same time thanked the sponsors for their sterling contribution to cricket in Guyana.
