GTM Under-19
Led by a solid all round performance from national Under-19 all rounder Jonathan Foo (5-93 and 50 not out), Berbice found themselves locked in a tight battle yesterday for first innings points against Demerara in their final preliminary round match of this year’s Under-19 Inter-county series at the Providence stadium.
After bowling Demerara out for 214, Berbice found themselves in an early spot of bother on 3-3 in the third over of their innings, losing the important wicket of national Under-19 all rounder Seon Hetmyer (00) who was caught by Amir Khan at extra cover fending at a short delivery from Andre Stoll.
When Manoj Pooranauth was caught by wicketkeeper Dexter Solomon off Stoll for one, Berbice were 8-4 in the fifth over and it could have been 8-5 had Trevon Griffith who was stationed at second slip held onto an offer from the outside edge of Foo’s bat off Stoll.
Foo responded by hitting the final delivery for four, then watched from the other end as Alex Amsterdam received a life from Stoll off Daniels, with the ball going to the third man boundary before he pulled Daniels through forward square leg for four as the score moved to 16-4.
After hitting the first delivery from Daniels’ following over behind square for four, Foo was given another reprieve by wicketkeeper Dexter Solomon and responded by hitting the bowler exquisitely through point for another boundary.
Foo displayed a no nonsense mood after his second chance, by hitting West Indies Under-15 spinner Amir Khan through point for successive boundaries, as Operation Recovery between himself and Amsterdam took the score to 46-4 in overcast conditions.
Totaram Bishun replaced Khan after the water break and he was sent crashing through extra cover twice for four by Foo, with the first boundary raising the 50 for Berbice, whilst Foo pushed his tally to 38 with nine fours.
Foo reached his 50 from 43 balls and 50 minutes of batting, hitting 11 fours in the process and at the close of play, Berbice were 75-4 with Foo on 50 and Amsterdam 11, the two adding 67 runs for the fifth wicket from 16.5 overs against the bowling of Stoll who has so far taken 2-9.
Earlier, Demerara won the toss and saw their openers in national Under-19 opener Trevon Griffith (75) and his opening partner Ryan Rajmangal (25) justifying their skipper’s decision to take first strike when they added 91 for the first wicket, but were bowled out for 214 on a flat wicket.
The 18-year-old Griffith who will be joining his club side Demerara Cricket Club which is presently in Trinidad and Tobago where they are competing in the West Indies Players Association (WIPA) Club Championships on Friday, struck Keyron Fraser for two fours in the first over of the innings.
That was followed by two boundaries off left arm orthodox spinner Trinson Carmichael, followed by a four and six off the same bowler and another six off Foo who had match figures of 15-94 against Essequibo in Berbice’s first round match at the Anna Regina Community Centre ground.
Rajmangal, who was an innocent bystander at the other end, finally got into the act when he too struck Foo for a boundary, before he was caught by Amsterdam at mid off when he attempted to hit Foo over the top for 25 made off 117 deliveries with three fours.
From 91 without loss, Demerara who were 97-3 at lunch, found themselves at 114-5 losing the wickets of Delroy Charles (01), Kishan Shivgobin (05), Rajendra Nikbarran (01) and Griffith who reached his 50 from 74 balls and 75 minutes with six fours and two sixes, for 75.
Stoll joined Dexter Solomon after Griffith was caught by Eon Hooper who had earlier taken another reflex catch at short leg, both off Foo, for his 75 which came off 119 balls and included eight fours and two sixes whilst batting for 106 minutes, with Demerara 114-5.
Stoll struck Foo through extra cover and back along the ground for boundaries, whilst Fraser was steered to third man for another boundary as the pair realized their 50 partnership from 69 balls and 39 minutes of batting, hitting eight fours in the process.
Solomon also got into the act by knocking Carmichael over mid off for four, but lost Stoll who was forced to retire hurt on 30, after being struck on the knee by Fraser with Demerara 174-5, 45 minutes before the tea break.
His retirement spelt disaster for his team, as they lost Solomon who was run out for 32, Bishun (03) and Khan (02) to be 177-7, but Daniels and Ricardo Devers joined forces with the former hitting Foo over deep backward square leg for six, followed by a four to fine leg.
He also pulled Foo to backward square leg for another four, as Demerara reached their 200 from 69.4 overs and 234 minutes of batting and at tea, they were 205-8 which became 211-9 when Daniels was caught by Hooper at silly mid off pushing forward to Foo, his third five-wicket haul of the tournament.
Stoll resumed his innings and watched Devers hit Foo back along the ground for four, before Stoll was caught at short mid wicket by La Fleur off the bowling of Sahadeo Somai for 30 made from 52 deliveries and decorated with six fours, leaving Devers unbeaten on 10.
Foo claimed 5-93, Somai 2-48 and Fraser 1-30 as Demerara were bowled out for 214 from 77 overs.
