The English schoolboys enjoyed a comfortable 62-run victory over a Guyana Under 15 ‘B’ team despite an impeccable performance with the ball from spinner Chandrapaul Hemraj.
Hemraj’s three wickets for just 16 runs in nine overs, was instrumental in limiting the visitors to 189 for eight wickets off 45 overs.
But the Guyana under-15 batsmen could not successfully chase that target and were dismissed for 127 in exactly 40 overs.
Batting first, James Claybrook and Freddy Gabbitass (19) put on 44 for the first wicket before Claybrook was caught and bowled from Hemraj on 24.
Skipper Sam Mount made three before becoming Hemraj’s second wicket as the Englsih schoolboys slipped to 49-3.
However the visitors’ middle order batsmen were equal to the task.
Paul Smith played magnificently before he was run out for 48 while Adam Coocking, who was dismissed in the same manner, made a superb 52.
The two added 52 for the fourth wicket from 57 balls which helped stabilize their team’s innings.
The Guyana U-15 innings started on an off-note as opening batsman Andrew Romalho was bowled for a duck off the first ball from Jack Shepherd.
Bryan Sattaur then reached 27 but just as he was looking to lead his team home he was run out while Andy Mohan perished in a similar manner for 19. There were four run outs during the Guyana innings which Coach Michael Hyles said was the main reason for the defeat.
“Our team suffered some careless run outs at critical points in their innings and I thought that our running between the wickets was atrocious. Nevertheless you have to look at the positives and we have much to be proud of with the ball to give an overall creditable performance considering the fact that we did not have much time to prepare for this match,” Hyles added.
Hyles also said that the English schoolboys were quite a ‘professional bunch’, adding that it was evident that they had been training together for a long period of time judging from the high level of competition that they exhibited over the weekend.
Mount led from the front with two wickets for 21 runs in his nine overs which included two maidens while Gabbitass also took two wickets in his nine overs for 32 runs.
The game was watched by Chief Executive Officer of the West Indies Cricket Board, Dr. Donald Peters along with honourable Minster of Culture, Youth and Sport, Dr. Frank Anthony and President of the Guyana Cricket Board, Chetram Singh.
The players from both sides were commended for their efforts by the dignitaries and then there were some cultural exchanges in the form of t-shirts, caps and other memorabilia from both countries.
