By Calvin Roberts
A belligerent 115 from Balindra Persaud helped pilot Demerara to 316 all out from 90.1 overs on the first day of their preliminary round match against Berbice in the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/ GTM sponsored three-day Under-19 Inter county cricket competition at the Demerara Cricket Club ground, Queenstown. Berbice were 27-1 in reply after being asked to face seven overs to complete the playing time for the day.
Having not been included in the squad to contest the competition, Persaud along with Rajendra Nikbarran, was the centre of the controversy prior to the commencement of the game with their area board presidents clamouring for their inclusion in the team. The former did not let down his president as he belted the Berbice bowlers to all parts of the field in compiling his ton which was decorated with 16 fours and one huge six, even though he was the beneficiary of some five chances by the opposition.
Being asked to take first strike by Berbice in a game which began 12 minutes late due to a selection fracas involving executives of the Demerara team, the defending champions found themselves in a spot of bother as they were reduced to 2-15 by the Berbicians.
Once again, their openers failed to post any good total for the middle order to build on as Troy Nurse was unluckily given out for 16 whilst Nikbarran one of two changes to the team that lost its first round clash to Essequibo, failed to trouble the scorers.
A 55-run partnership for the third wicket between former Demerara Under-17 skipper Jeetendra Sookdeo ((26) and Persaud helped steady the ship as the rebuilding process began for the defending champions.
They mixed solid defence with aggression with Sookdeo counting four fours and one six in his innings before he departed with the score on 70. This made way for Ranole Bourne, a talented but underrated young cricketer to enter the fray and he did not disappoint as he posted 82 runs for the fourth wicket with Persaud.
Contrary to when they faced Essequibo, the Demerara batsmen batted with a purpose, although they were the beneficiaries of many chances with Persaud being the one to benefit the most with five, including two in one over when he was on 94.
He first raised his 50 from 61 balls with nine fours and his lone six which was struck off the bowling of Berbice captain Eugene La Fleur. Bourne mixed sound defence with aggression during his brief but worthy sojourn at the wicket. Demerara went to lunch with their score reading 129-3 with Persaud on 57 and Bourne 21.
Three overs after the break, Duke, who was extracting bounce out of the wicket failed to hold onto a delivery that was hit straight back to him by Bourne with Demerara being 134-3 in the third over after the lunch break.
Greaves, who is playing on his home ground, struck fast bowler Kevin Joseph back over his head and straight into the fence for six and followed it up with two exquisite drives over mid on and through extra cover for successive boundaries much to the delight of his team mates.
He was at the other end when Persaud was given a chance by Jonathon Foo who failed to hold onto an offer when he was fielding at extra cover. Two balls later, Joseph also grassed an easy chance offered from Persaud on the long off boundary and looked backed shamelessly as the ball bounced into the ropes taking the batsman to 98.
He reached his 100, his first at this level when he tickled La Fleur off his pads and down to the fine leg boundary for another one of his 16 fours much to the delight of not only his team mates, but also the supporters who were a part of the raucous that took place prior to the commencement of the match.
However, he gifted his wicket away when he attempted to hit part time spinner Alex Amsterdam somewhere out of the ground but picked out Eon Hooper on the long off boundary, who refused to emulate his team mates and took the offer.
Prior to his departure, Greaves, who was looking well set for a big score on a wicket that was offering lots of bounce to the fast bowlers, was caught by Amsterdam low down at first slip off the bowling of Stephen Latcha (3-55) for 36. He faced 47 balls and struck four fours and one six during his brief but entertaining sojourn at the wicket which lasted for 60 minutes.
At tea, Demerara were 246-6 and thanks to some lusty hitting from left arm fast bowler Andre Stoll, who made a whirlwind 39 that was decorated with three fours and the same amount of sixes, they were able to reach their final score of 316 from 90.1 overs.
Bowling for Berbice, Latcha took 3-55 and received support from Foo (3-59) and Joseph (3-75). Amsterdam took his lone wicket, that of Persaud, for a mere 18 runs from his seven overs.
Taking pattern from what he saw his Berbice counterparts did with the new ball, Demerara fast bowler Leon Scott who had the distinct opportunity of representing Guyana at the under-19 level in St Kitts last year, extracted lots of bounce from the wicket late in the day before he had Berbice opener Michael Felix caught by Troy Nurse at second slip for four.
At the close, Berbice were 27-1 with Hooper on 12 (1×4) and Manoj Pooranauth 5 with Scott taking 1-19 from 4 overs. Play will continue today from 1000h.
