Defending champions Berbice were in control at the end of the penultimate day in their final preliminary round Guyana Cricket Board (GCB)/GTM sponsored Under-19 Inter-county match against Demerara at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence yesterday.
With a slim first innings lead of five runs after bowling out Berbice for 211, despite Jonathan Foo’s pugnacious 131, Demerara found themselves in a spot of bother shakily placed at 69-7 in their second innings. Scores in the match so far are Demerara 216 and 69-7, Berbice 211.
Kishan Shivgobin (01), Ryan Rajmangal (05), Dexter Charles (05), Rajendra Nikbarran (20), Dexter Solomon (00) and Andre Stoll who blazed his way to 30 in Demerara’s first innings score of 214, were all back in the comfort of the dressing room in Demerara’s second innings.
Nikbarran who is leading the side in the absence of the injured Jeetendra Sookdeo, brought smiles back to the faces of his teammates, when he strode to the wicket and steered Keyron Fraser to third-man for four, followed by a pull to long-off.
This was after leg spinner Trinson Carmichael had accounted for Shivgobin and Fraser had Rajmangal caught by Joemal La Fleur at second slip, but before Foo accounted for Charles and Solomon. Somai then removed Stoll and Nikbarran.
Trevon Griffith who was forced to bat at number eight, owing to a slight hamstring niggle, struck Somai for four. Amir Khan dispatched Foo for two fours and Griffith followed suit, hitting the same bowler to long-on for another four as Demerara raised their 50 from 25.1 overs and 84 minutes of batting. But just when it looked like he was coming back today to see his team to a formidable total, Griffith went down to Fraser at mid-on for 11 to leave Demerara on 67-4, with Khan on 15.
Bad light stop play at 17:32 hrs, with Demerara on 69-7, an overall lead of 75 with Khan on 18 and Seon Daniels 2.
Foo (3-21), Somai (2-25), Carmichael who opened the bowling (1-4) and Fraser (1-15) did damage with the ball for Berbice.
Berbice had resumed at 75-4 with Foo on 50 and Alex Amsterdam 12 and progressed to 107 without further loss at lunch. Foo, who had earlier struck Seon Daniels for successive boundaries, was on 66 and Amsterdam on 29.
After lunch, Demerara which looked ordinary in the field, saw Rajmangal at extra cover, fail to grasp an easy chance offered by Foo off the bowling of Totaram Bishun. Foo, who was on 73, and had just struck the bowler through point for four, hit Bishun back through point for another four. He followed this up with a maximum over long-off to move to 85. Berbice progressed to 129-4, as Amsterdam sent Ricardo Devers packing through extra cover for four.
Foo moved from 95 to 99, when he struck Bishun for his 18th boundary. He then duly recorded the first century of the tournament, with a four through extra cover off Devers; his 19th off 108 balls and 155 minutes of batting.
Amsterdam was then adjudged lbw to Andre Stoll for a patient 49, which was decorated with three fours from 157 balls and 170 minutes of batting. This brought an end to a 173 runs fifth-wicket partnership which lasted 43 overs and was decorated with 23 fours and one six.
Foo was on 109 when he was given another reprieve, this time by Amir Khan who was at long off when he attempted to hit Bishun over the top. And as if to rub more salt into the wounds he caused, the national under-19 right hander then pulled Daniels belligerently through mid-wicket for four.
But the bowler had the last laugh, when he held onto a hard return catch from the next delivery. By then, Foo had accumulated 131 runs, decorated with 22 fours and one six from 139 deliveries, while batting for 203 minutes.
He left Berbice on 204-6 in the 54th over, but they crumbled to the pace/spin combination of Daniels and Bishun, having only grabbed seven more runs to place their score at 211 from 58 overs.
Demerara now had a first innings lead of five runs and first innings points.
Skipper and national Under-19 wicketkeeper/batsman Anthony Bramble (09) lost his middle stump to Daniels. Bishun wrapped up the tail removing La Fleur (02) who was stumped by Solomon; Somai (01) and Carmichael (00), leaving Fraser unbeaten on nought.
Daniels ended with 3-38. Bishun 3-46 and Stoll 3-55 offered valuable support to Daniels and even though Khan and Devers were wicket-less due to the chances going a-begging, they managed to bowl a combined total of 21 overs for 66 runs.
Today is the final day with play set to commence at 09:30 hrs and Demerara might be hoping for a miracle to wrest the title from Berbice.
